Recount finalizes razor-thin result in Sioux Falls mayoral runoff
A two-day recount finished Thursday evening with the three-member review panel declaring Christine Erickson the winner of the Sioux Falls mayoral runoff by a margin of four votes. The final certified totals were 18,281 for Erickson and 18,277 for Sen. Jamie Smith, closing out a contest that began with ballots cast June 23 and has drawn attention across the city and state.
The recount examined absentee ballots first and then day-of-election ballots, with the lead shifting slightly as staff reviewed individual ballots and adjudicated contested marks. The process followed state and local procedures for recounts and finished after careful hand review by the appointed panel.
"I won the election, and I will be the next mayor of Sioux Falls. Thank you to everyone who has stood by my side throughout this entire campaign. I’m ready to get to work as mayor,"
The statement above was released by Erickson after the recount board announced the result. Smith’s campaign acknowledged the recount and said it would evaluate options going forward, noting the campaign had "worked our way through the process, following the procedures that are in place." Smith also suggested there may be legislative avenues to clarify how contested ballots are handled in future elections.
- Total ballots reviewed: more than 36,000 cast in the runoff.
- Margin after recount: 4 votes in favor of Erickson.
- Swearing-in: Erickson is scheduled to be sworn in next week to succeed Mayor Paul TenHaken.
The extreme closeness of the race — and the recount that affirmed it — underscores a broader reality for local elections in South Dakota: a small number of ballots can decide major offices. For Sioux Falls residents, the outcome will determine who oversees a city budget, ongoing infrastructure projects and city hall priorities at a time of steady growth and competing demands for services.
| Candidate | Final Vote Total |
|---|---|
| Christine Erickson | 18,281 |
| Jamie Smith | 18,277 |
Erickson told reporters she was confident going into the recount, pointing to previous victories in the campaign. Campaign comments highlighted readiness to begin work immediately on the city budget and other priorities. Smith’s team said it would review the post-recount options and reflected on the need for possible legislative changes to make contested-ballot decisions more consistent in future elections.
For Sioux Falls voters, the recount brings closure to the immediate question of who will hold the corner office at City Hall, but it also raises questions about ballot design, voter intent standards and the mechanisms used to resolve close contests. Those are likely to surface in conversations at the Statehouse and among local election officials in the weeks ahead as officials and lawmakers consider whether changes are needed to reduce ambiguity in tightly contested races.
The certified, recount-backed result hands Erickson the mayor-elect title and sets her to take over from Mayor Paul TenHaken next week, as the new administration prepares to confront a slate of local issues that will affect residents across Sioux Falls.
