Off to the races for 2026 elections

Petitions are in, and the results are out. While several town board and city council seats were open across the county, there will only be an election for the Hermosa and Buffalo Gap town boards. The rest did not receive enough petitions to warrant an election. 
However, the Custer and Elk Mountain School Districts will see an election. The Custer County Commissioner role has the most candidates, and there will be District 30 races this election as well.
The City of Custer has three council member seats up for election for two-year terms. Currently, the Ward I seat is held by Dixie Whitaker, the Ward II seat by Julie Jenniges and the Ward III seat by Todd Pechota. Whitaker and Jenniges filed petitions and were uncontested. Pechota chose not to run. However, Monica McGowan filed a petition for Ward III and was uncontested.
In the Town of Hermosa, two board of trustees seats will become vacant due to the expiration of the current terms of Kelburn Koontz and Donna Ferguson. The terms are for three years. Koontz and Ferguson filed petitions, as did Elizabeth Miller.
The Town of Pringle has three trustee offices open due to the expiration of the present terms, including a one-year term, a two-year term and a three-year term. The positions are currently held by Dee Andersen, Pat Zeimet and Tony Boggs, who are all serving one-year appointments. Zeimet filed for the three-year term, Boggs filed for the two-year term and Steve Teske filed for the one-year term. All candidates were uncontested.
In the Town of Fairburn, the trustee seat currently held by Dean Weekley is up for election. Weekley was the only one to file for the position.
In the Town of Buffalo Gap, one three-year trustee seat currently occupied by Ray Hussey will become vacant due to the expiration of the term. Hussey filed a petition but withdrew due to medical reasons. Two other petitions were received from Steve Jensen and Herman Wells.
The Custer School District Board of Education has three seats up for election for three-year terms. Currently, the seats are held by Larry Baker, Sara Barrick and Travis Hartshorn. Baker, Barrick and Hartshorn filed petitions, as did Mark Perrenoud.
In the Elk Mountain School District, two board of education seats currently held by Jason Bradeen and Kevin Rosse are up for election. The seats are for three-year terms. Bradeen and Rosse filed petitions, as did Terri Janssen.
In Custer County, three seats for the office of county commissioner are up for election. They are currently held by Craig Hindle, Jim Lintz and Mike Linde. Hindle and Linde filed petitions, as did Eric Lewis, Jesse Sorenson, Mark Sullivan, Marty Mechaley, Nathan Chowning and Shannon Shields, all Republican candidates. No Democratic candidates filed.
Dawn McLaughlin filed uncontested for the office of county finance officer, Teri Morgan filed uncontested for the office of register of deeds and Derrick Reifenrath filed uncontested for the office of Custer County Sheriff, all Republican candidates. No Democratic candidates filed.
All county offices are for four-year terms. Petitions mailed by March 31 will still qualify. The filing deadline for independent candidates is April 28.
Some Custer County residents will also vote on the proposed County Fire Fund opt-out, as well as the potential creation of a East Custer Ambulance District. Those who will vote on those issues will be property owners within the proposed areas of both the opt-out and the proposed new ambulance district. 
In District 30, Republicans Amber Hulse and Julie Frye-Mueller are running for the office of state senator. Republicans Trish Ladner, Tim Goodwin and Stephen Saint, along with Democrat Bret Swanson, are running for the office of state representative. Both offices are for two-year terms. Petitions mailed by March 31 will still qualify. The filing deadline for independent candidates is April 28.
Statewide, candidates are continuing to trickle in as mailed petitions are filed.
For South Dakota governor, Republican Larry Rhoden’s seat is up for a four-year term. Rhoden filed a petition, as did Republicans Dusty Johnson, Toby Doeden and Jon Hansen. Democrat Dan Ahlers also filed a petition for governor.
U. S. Rep. Dusty Johnson’s seat is up for a two-year term. Republicans Marty Jackley and James Bialota, Jr., filed petitions, as did Democrat Nicole “Nikki” Gronli.
Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds’ seat is up for a six-year term. Rounds is opposed by Republican Justin McNeal. Julian Beaudion filed as a Democratic candidate.
Petitions mailed by March 31 will still qualify. The filing deadline for independent candidates is April 28.
The primary election is Tuesday, June 2.