Sioux Falls City Council to decide new dates for municipal elections

Sioux Falls' City Council will be deciding on a new date for municipal elections in the near future.

Councilor Rich Merkouris said at an Aug. 11 press conference that new election dates will be decided through an ordinance because of an amendment to the city's charter. The change was made in response to a law passed last year, House Bill 1130 , which states municipal and school district elections must be held in June with primary elections or in November with general elections, according to previous Argus Leader reporting.

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"The intent of the legislature is to have the highest voter turnout," Councilor Richard Thomason said during the press conference.

While both Merkouris and Thomason have tentatively voiced their support for changing the election date to November, they and the rest of the council are still weighing all possibilities before deciding. Runoff timelines are a specific concern for a November date as they may stretch into the Thanksgiving season when many voters may be away from their primary residences and unable to vote.

Discussions on setting a new date will be held at a series of Operations Committee hearings, the first of which is Sept. 14. Merkouris said members of the public are encouraged to come to share any concerns or opinions they have about the changing dates.

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This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls City Council to decide new dates for municipal elections