Legislative slates starting to fill

Talk about it

Nearly 20 people have filed candidacies for state House and Senate seats in the six legislative districts that include parts of The Daily Republic’s subscription area.

So far, there’s only one primary race — between Sen. Mike Vehle, R-Mitchell, and Steve “Sibby” Sibson, R-Mitchell.

Primaries arise when more than one candidate from the same party files for a district’s one Senate seat, and when more than two candidates from the same party file for a district’s two House seats.

This year’s primary election is June 5, and the winners will advance to the general election Nov. 6. They are the first elections since legislative districts were redrawn following the 2010 census.

Following is a list of candidates who have filed for legislative offices around The Daily Republic’s coverage area.

• District 20 (Davison, Aurora and Jerauld counties): Sen. Mike Vehle, R-Mitchell, and Steve “Sibby” Sibson, R-Mitchell, have filed for the Senate seat. Rep. Lance Carson, R-Mitchell, and Rep. Tona Rozum, R-Mitchell, have filed for the House seats. There will be a primary election between Vehle and Sibson.

• District 8 (Sanborn and Miner counties, as well as Lake, Moody and part of Minnehaha): Three newcomers have filed for the two House of Representatives seats in Leslie J. Heinemann, R-Flandreau, Roy J. Lindsay, D-Madison, and Scott Parsley, D-Madison.

• District 19 (Hanson, McCook, Douglas and Hutchinson counties, and part of Bon Homme County): Bill Van Gerpen, R-Tyndall, and Rep. Frank Kloucek, D-Scotland, are running for the Senate seat. Stace Nelson, R-Fulton, Kyle Schoenfish, R-Scotland, and Alan Fenner, D-Menno, are running for the two House seats.

• District 21 (Tripp, Gregory, Charles Mix and a portion of Bon Homme County): Sen. Billie Sutton, D-Burke, has filed for the Senate seat, and Rep. David Scott, R-Geddes, Gary W. Coleman, D-Dante, and Lee Qualm, R-Platte, have filed for the House.

• District 26 (Jones, Lyman, Buffalo, Brule, Mellette and Todd counties): Kent Juhnke, R-Vivian, and Larry Lucas, D-Mission, have filed for the Senate seat. One senator will serve Districts 26A (Mellette and Todd counties) and 26B.

• Special House District 26B (Jones, Lyman, Buffalo and Brule counties): Rep. James Schaefer, R-Kennebec, and Maynard Konechne, D-Kimball, have filed for the House seat.

Tags: election 2012, news, updates, legislature, region