Brandon-area voters to decide three-way race for state House in newly created District 2

Brandon and surrounding area residents for the first time ever will participate in a general election as District 2 voters when they head to the polls on Election Day.

South Dakota’s second legislative district for decades had comprised Brown, Clark, Hamlin and Spink counties. But the state’s rapid population growth in the Sioux Falls metropolitan area prompted lawmakers during last year’s decennial redistricting process to create a new district east of Sioux Falls and call it District 2.

Former Public Utilities Commissioner Steve Kolbeck won his GOP primary contest in June for the state Senate and is running unopposed. But District 2 voters do have a three-way contest in the race for state House, which features a pair of Republicans and one Democrat. The top two vote getters will earn a seat in the state Capitol in January.

The Dakota Scout sent a series of questions to all legislative candidates in the Sioux Falls and surrounding area who are running contested for state House and Senate in the Nov. 8 election. Candidates were asked to limit their responses to each question to 100 words or less.

• Responding candidates are listed in the order they appear on the ballot.

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