Second candidate declares candidacy in Sioux Falls' lone city-wide contest in 2024

Jordan Deffenbaugh joins Richard Thomason in At-large election

The only city-wide council seat up for grabs in next spring’s Sioux Falls municipal election will be contested.

Jordan Deffenbaugh, a community organizer in the Whittier neighborhood and a vocal critic of the Sioux Falls mayor’s office, announced his candidacy Tuesday for the At-Large seat in the April election.

“With a background firmly rooted in Sioux Falls and a vision for a more vibrant, neighborhood-focused community, Deffenbaugh seeks to revitalize the city and put power back into the hands of core neighborhoods,” according to the Sioux Falls native’s campaign announcement.

The son of an area home builder, Deffenbaugh is an aggressive advocate for the urbanization of city infrastructure, particularly walkable streets, inclusivity, and sustainability. And the 35-year-old has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Mayor Paul TenHaken’s administration for not doing enough on those fronts.

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“I strongly believe that we can make bold investments for the future without sacrificing the principles of fiscal conservatism,” Deffenbaugh said. “This is done by engaging with tried-and-true development strategies that have previously worked in our town, and have been successfully implemented in similar municipalities across the country.”

Deffenbaugh is the second to declare candidacy in the race for the seat held by Councilor Alex Jensen, who will not seek a second term. Former state lawmaker Richard Thomason earlier this month also announced he’ll make a run at the seat — with the endorsement of Jensen.

Deffenbaugh said he wants to streamline city government by repealing ordinances that burden taxpayers and hinder local development, and that “Sioux Falls should maintain its commitment to responsible governance.”

Deffenbaugh is the Partnership Developer for the Beverly Ann Miller Institute, community liaison for Whittier’s Community Revitalization Collective, and an organizer for the Sioux Falls Tool Library and the Union Gospel Mission Preservation Kitchen.