By Carrie Moore
With races and ballot measures for local, state and national selections, voters across South Dakota will have a lot to think about when they step into the polling booth Tuesday, Nov. 4.
In the sole local race, Pennington county voters will select a new commissioner in the fifth ward. The race is between Republican candidate Ron Buskerud and Independent Aaron Sammeli. The winner will serve a four-year term.
In the District 30 House of Representative state race, incumbents Lance Russell of Hot Springs and Mike Verchio of Hill City, both Republicans, are running against challenger Gardner Gray of Pringle, an Independent. The position is for a two-year term.
Voters will also have a decision to make for the Seventh Circuit Court Judge spot, an eight-year term, which will be vacated after circuit Judge Thomas Trimble retires at the end of the year. Heidi Linngren and Jane Farrell are the two candidates running for the position.
In state races, two candidates are challenging incumbent Dennis Daugaard and Matt Michels for the governor and lieutenant governor race. Susan Wismer and Susy Blake will run on the Democratic ticket while Michael J. Myers and Lora Hubbel will run as Independents. In the state attorney general race, Republican incumbent Marty Jackley will square off against Chad Haber, Libertarian. The position is a four-year term.
In the secretary of state race, four candidates will vie for the four-year term: Lori Stacey, Constitutional, Emmett Reistroffer, Libertarian, Angelia Schultz, Democrat, and Shantel Krebs, Republican. For state auditor, another four-year term, Kurt Evans, Libertarian, and Steve Bennett, Republican, will square off, while Ken Santema, Libertarian, Denny Pierson, Democrat, and Rich Sattgast, Republican, will square off for the state treasurer position. The state treasurer position is for four-year term.
In the commissioner of school and public lands race, John English, Liberartarian, will run against Republican Ryan Brunner while Wayne Schmidt, Constitutional, David Allen, Democrat, and Gary Hanson, Republican, will face off in the public utilities commission race. The school and public lands position is a four-year term and the public utilities position is for a six-year term.
Voters will also have to elect one person to represent South Dakotans in the U.S. Senate, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives.
In the senate race, Republican Mike Rounds, Democrat Rick Weiland, Independent Larry Pressler and Independent Gordon Howie are all running for the vacated seat of Sen. Tim Johnson, who is retiring. In the representative race, Republican incumbent Kristi Noem is opposed by Democratic challenger Corinna Robinson.
Voters will also have two initiated measures and a constitutional amendment to vote on.
Initiated Measure 17 would require insurance companies to list all health care providers who are willing, qualified and meet the conditions established by the insurer while Initiated Measure 18 would raise the hourly minimum wage for non-tipped employees from $7.25 per hour to $8.50 per hour. Constitutional Amendment Q would authorize the Legislature to approve the new games for Deadwood casinos, which are currently limited to offering card games and slot machines. Federal law mandates that if the games are allowed in Deadwood, they must also be allowed at on-reservation tribal casinos. For more information on the initiated measures or constitutional amendment, see the more detailed articles in this week’s Prevailer.
To see where your polling precinct is, see the Oct. 22 issue of the Prevailer or call the county auditor’s office at 394-2153.