SOUTH DAKOTA STRAIGHT TALK

Sioux Falls’ voters went to the polls on April 8th and reelected the two Incumbents (Litz and Brown) and two new Councilors whom are legacies to their Fathers who previously served on the Sioux Falls City Council or Commission, Greg Jamison and Kenny Anderson, Jr.

Voters sent the message they are on balance satisfied with the direction of City Government. Bob Litz was appointed to the Council to replace Darin Smith who quit after coming in fourth in the Mayor’s election two years ago. Litz received about 54% (with the runner up getting 37%) of the vote. Vernon Brown won by a large margin in the City Wide At Large seat receiving over 61%.

Post election coverage and analysis in the Argus Leader centered on (as did the public that was paying attention) the At Large election between Brown and Theresa Stehly. This is highlighted by the fact that this was the only race that all City voters participated in and thus give a sense of what the entire City is thinking. Particularly the Argus’ commenter’s believed Brown won because of his superior name identification.

Name identification is important and gives a candidate who have it an advantage, but name identification alone does not produce 22% victories.

As noted in the election recap story the At Large race was about more than the marquis election between Brown and Stehly. Stehly was widely seen as a surrogate for Councilman Kermit Staggers. Staggers and Brown have distinctly different views on government (or non-government in the case of Staggers) and their vision for Sioux Falls.

The Staggers Stehly affiliation stems from the Drake Springs pool election last year. Stehly was the lead sponsor and spokeswoman for the Outdoor option. Staggers who was the only Councilor to oppose the more expensive Indoor pool used the pool issue to highlight his beliefs. When the Outdoor Pool won, Staggers proclaimed a victory not only for the Outdoor Pool but for his view of less government.

Stehly who found the pool election empowering and encouraged no doubt by Staggers decided to make a run against Brown for a Council seat.

Staggers and Stehly believed and postulated that since the Council had supported the indoor pool and the voters wanted an outdoor pool that the Council was out of touch with Citizens. (the corollary of course is that because Staggers often is the one vote in many 7-1 Council votes – voters in the pool election thus proves Staggers is right and is the Man Of The People on all other issues as well.)

The election on April 8th proved this not to be the case. The pool vote was about the voters wanting an outdoor pool and as the April 8th election demonstrates not an approval rating of City government.