Northeast South Dakota Voters Make Historic Choices in Key Elections

Boy Scout carrying in ballots

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Voters across Northeast South Dakota made their voices heard on Tuesday as unofficial returns trickled into county rooms, setting the stage for leadership shifts across federal, legislative, and county positions. Local counting centers saw steady activity as key regional and local matchups delivered decisive leads.

Incumbents Secure Dominant Leads in Federal Fields

In the race for the United States Senate, incumbent Mike Rounds established a commanding lead over challenger Justin McNeal, drawing 73,269 votes to McNeal’s 22,508 district-wide. Meanwhile, the contest for South Dakota’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives saw Marty Jackley secure a substantial cushion against James Bialota, capturing 74,416 votes to Bialota’s 18,901.

Boy scouts carrying in ballots

Doeden Emerges in Multi-Way Gubernatorial Battle

The Republican primary for Governor became one of the evening’s most heavily watched events. Toby Doeden claimed the top spot in the four-way race with 28,548 votes. Larry Rhoden closely followed with 25,344 votes, holding off a strong push from Dusty Johnson, who pulled in 23,068 votes. Jon Hansen rounded out the competitive field with 20,590 votes.

Legislative Battles Come Down to the Wire

District 04 saw highly competitive races for both chambers:

·         State Senate: Stephanie Sauder leads a razor-thin contest against Timothy Begalka, separated by just over 100 votes with a count of 2,804 to 2,699.

·         State House (Two Seats): In a crowded five-way battle for two open seats, Ryan Kohl (2,385 votes) and Fred Deutsch (2,326 votes) have emerged as the leading duo. They are closely pursued by Kent Roe with 2,254 votes, followed by Dylan C. Jordan (1,837 votes) and Gary William Hudiburgh III (233 votes).

In District 05, the State Senate primary leaned significantly toward Glen A. Vilhauer, who locked down 1,852 votes against Josephine Garcia’s 1,283.

Sheriff and Local Races

Law enforcement primaries took center stage across three local counties, providing clear outcomes:

·         Hamlin County: Chad J. Schlotterbeck dominated the ballot boxes with a resounding 1,371 votes to Isaac William Sauder’s 274.

·         Grant County: Jeremy Steffensen earned a strong victory margin, drawing 1,009 votes against William Newstrand’s 252.

·         Clark County: Nathan Nickeson finished with a strong lead, capturing 794 votes to Jeremy D. Wellnitz’s 139.

In another county seat race, Tiffany Joy Stormo claimed the Hamlin County Auditor primary, locking in 947 votes over Jonathon A. Barthel’s 571.

Tune into Northeast Radio for 24/7 hyper-local news, talk, and music, serving Watertown, SD and the region. Stay connected with Steve Jurrens, your local news broadcaster. Access via www.northeastradiosd.com or scan the QR code for more.

County Commissioner and Precinct Results

Local precinct tables saw the final lines drawn for county commissions:

·         Clark County: In District 3, Dave Dohmann bested Randy Reis 148 to 83. In District 5, John A. Grosz led the pack with 104 votes, over Norlan Froke (85) and Alex Hohertz (59).

·         Day County: Ben Braaten claimed District 1 over Charlotte Andres (98 to 28); Kelly Brandlee took District 3 over Jerry Mork (121 to 71); and Derek L. Sinner won a close race for District 5 over David Dulitz (81 to 75).

·         Deuel County: Tony Alan Quail advanced past Harry Ellis Mewherter in District 5 by a margin of 113 to 92.

At the precinct level, Jonathan Iverson beat Zach Thompson (91 to 48) for Codington Precinct-B2 Committeeman, while Randy Horter defeated Reuben Parks (95 to 33) in Day County Precinct-05.

South Dakota Secretary of State

All results remain unofficial until officially canvassed by local county auditors.