That’s a great question, we are still slow to have a full docket with NO ONE yet announcing for the SE District (Barranco is NOT running for a 2nd term as he is running for State Auditor instead).
AT-Large; Rich Merkouris will likely run for a 2nd term. No challengers have announced yet.
AT-Large; Cole is NOT running for a 2nd term and is actually unethically chairing a replacement candidate’s campaign, whose name we will not speak. No other challengers have announced.
Central; This is my district and I am excited to say there are a full slate of candidates;
Marshall ‘Illegally living out of district’ Selberg (Big f’ing Maybe)
Greg Jamison (Maybe)
Christine Erickson
Jamie Smith
Joe Batcheller
David Zoikaites
I think Erickson will make the runoff no matter who runs, BUT, I couldn’t tell you who will be up against her since half of the challengers could do it. Some argue it will be Erickson vs. Smith because it will be the conservative candidate vs. the progressive candidate and they will be the top two vote getters since we are a purple town, or at least 7% of us are š I’m not buying it because I think Jamison and Batcheller have Smith beat on city government knowledge and there may still be some morons out there that think MMM is still great, so yes, he has a chance of being in the runoff š
We knew Joe was running, and as I have mentioned in the past he has the best resume. I have been telling folks lately though I am seriously looking at ALL of the mayoral candidates since they all have great qualities to be mayor, they also have their faults, but it will be interesting to see who will rise above those obstacles.
Erickson no doubt is the favorite, mainly for her exuberate personality, and this will be a hard to combat. Also, with likely being the ONLY woman running, she may garner a lot of female support. I did hear her on a podcast recently and she leans MAGA and seems to be supporting deportation efforts in Sioux Falls. If she continues the ‘Trump Talk’ I’m not sure this helps her, except amongst those mouth breathers, and when you are campaigning to 7% of the voting public in Sux, it’s wise to stay on a clear message.
I have no doubt if Jamison decides to run, he will have a polished campaign that is consistent on policy ideas, I also have NO doubt Joe will do the same. Couldn’t tell you much about the Smith campaign since it seems their strategy so far is let’s keep it a secret he is running and when individuals reach out to you for help or promotion you just ignore them. If I had a dollar for every DEM that told me about the unresponsiveness of his campaign, I could fund his campaign. Not a good look. I do like Jamie though and believe he would be the most populist candidate wanting to get things done for the citizens and not just for the Developer Welfare Queens (though working in Real Estate may present conflicts). Also, his unresponsiveness may be a sign of how he will do as a mayor.
If any of the candidates tell me they will end TIFs in this city (or at least make them only for affordable housing) I would support the candidate, hands down. TIFs are straddling our city with uncontrollable infrastructure needs and no way to pay for them. It also hurts our county and school district with property tax dollars they have to make up for from the state (which withholds crucial funding). I think if there is a candidate that addresses property taxes and TIFs they will have a good chance of winning. In fact, if any of the candidates running put property taxes as part of their campaign agenda they would at least get people interested in your other campaign promises.
This next city election will be about the economy, hands down, and by election time next year, it will likely be in the toilet. The candidates will need to talk about kitchen table ideas, because swimming pools and event centers are a thing of the past.
Press Release | April 18, 2025 | by David Zokaites DavidZokaitesMayor@gmail.com | 605-251-0691
2215 E. Mulberry St. | Sioux Falls, SD 57103-0536
The race has begunāand David Zokaites is leading the charge.
David Zokaites is officially the first and only candidate to declare his bid for the 2026 Sioux Falls mayoral raceāand heās not just tossing his hat into the ring, heās coming in with fire, focus, and a future-forward vision for the city we love. Heās the only candidate so far to register a campaign committee with the city clerk, making his run not only the firstābut the boldest.
For more than a decade, Zokaites has been laser-focused on local government. Heās spoken at City Council meetings a jaw-dropping 190 times, presenting deeply researched ideas on everything from tackling homelessness and addiction to planting more trees and strengthening police training. When others stayed silent, Zokaites stood upāfor transparency, for solutions, and for people.
Born near Pittsburgh, Zokaites holds a Bachelor of Science from RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) and built a career in scientific computing, digital imaging, and database management. His technical mind, paired with a passion for community, has led him to treat politics like systems engineering: āUnderstand the process. Fix the process.ā
His mission? A government that truly serves āWe the People.ā
Zokaites believes our leaders must honor the Constitution and fight for the āBlessings of Libertyā for every generation. That means civil rights protected, compassion practiced, and police equipped to serve with both strength and understanding. He doesnāt just talk the talkāhe walked into federal court without a lawyer in a 2019 civil rights lawsuit, standing against city government to defend personal freedom and public accountability. Heās gearing up to file another lawsuit addressing false arrest, injuries from handcuffing, and inhumane jail conditionsābecause justice shouldnāt require a fortune to pursue.
And at the heart of his campaign? Compassion.
An Eagle Scout, Zokaites has policies that echo the teachings of Jesusācaring for the downtrodden, housing the homeless, and offering practical solutions that benefit everyone, including taxpayers. He proposes zoning reforms to reduce construction costs and make housing more affordable, especially for young adults starting out. Itās smart. Itās fair. And it doesnāt cost the city a dime.
Zokaites doesnāt just bring policyāhe brings heart.
In 1998, he co-won the JCPenney Golden Rule Award for teaching karate to kids in a local school. They learned to fall, to fly, and to believe in themselves. That spiritāof teaching, empowering, and upliftingāinfuses everything he brings to Sioux Falls.
Now, heās ready to serve.
With energy. With integrity. With bold ideas and a backbone of steel.
āI want to create practical, caring, honest government to help all the citizens of Sioux Falls,ā Zokaites declares. And he means allārich or poor, young or old, struggling or thriving.
Letās build a city that worksāfor everyone.
P.S. True to form, Zokaites adds a moment of beauty to every message. This release features a serene āEnjoy Sioux Fallsā landscape by his daughter Elizabethāan artist, writer, and entrepreneurāreminding us that even in the fight for better governance, we should always remember to appreciate the world weāre working to improve.
Since we last discussed this here was the short list of potential or rumored candidates running for mayor;
Mike Huether
Curt Soehl
Rich Merkouris
Alex Jensen
David Z
Erica Beck
Christine Erickson
Marshall (Mr. Illegally living out of his district) Selberg
Well, the shakeup is interesting. I guess Beck has decided to NOT run which put Mastor Poops in a tizzy to find a NEW recruit, apparently he must make sure his horrible policy decisions continue in a good prosperity gospel candidate. He found someone, and they are a nobody, well in the public square sense. They are the president of a local company I have never heard of. Of course, I will not share his name yet, because we truly don’t know until they announce and I will do some digging to find out more about this white, christian, male in his late 40’s. Sound familiar? I hope in next year’s city election folks wake up and realize this current mayor sucks dog do do and anyone he would recruit or endorse will likely go down in flames. Maybe Beck realized this, or maybe she wants to keep her very lucrative job? (Her pay and benefits would be cut in HALF if she became mayor).
l3wis 
