Minnehaha County votes red for auditor, commissioner races

Minnehaha County residents voted Republican on Election Day in the county commissioner at-large and county auditor races.

Unofficial county election results were finalized early Wednesday morning, after ballot counting extended from Tuesday night. Voters elected Leah Anderson for county auditor and Gerald Beninga, Joe Kippley and Jen Bleyenberg for the three vacant county commissioner seats.

More:Minnehaha County Commission welcomes fresh eyes as 2 long-time figures leave

Anderson won 58% of the total votes in the county auditor race against Democrat Brian Wirth, who won 42%. Beninga, Kippley and Bleyenberg each won about 22% of a total 158,471 ballots cast in the county commissioner race, while Democrats Nichole Cauwels and Tom Holmes each had 17% of the vote.

Out of an active voter population of 130,838, a total of 75,570 ballots were cast Tuesday in Minnehaha County, according to the South Dakota Secretary of State.

"I'm happy that the county commission election was very positive," said Beninga, who was re-elected to commission with 12 years of experience on the board. "I frankly enjoyed the fact that the two other candidates that I got to know a little better were very positive and didn't have any negative campaigning going on."

Some of the negative issues top of mind for Beninga are finalizing the fairgrounds property and addressing CO2 pipeline concerns, along with other issues residents present to the commission.

Cauwels, one of the two Democrats that ran in the county commissioner race, said she wasn't surprised at the loss.

"It's hard for a Democrat to win," said Cauwels. "It's disappointing because I'm the only one who lives on a farm and also owns a business in town so I feel like I would've done a really good job."

Kippley, who will be working alongside Beninga for the first time starting next January, told the Argus Leader he was proud to have the confidence of Minnehaha County voters.

"My message is to thank Cindy Heiberger and Jeff Barth for their many years of service coming off the commission," said Kippley. "I learned quite a bit from them. Cindy Heiberger is a champion of the juvenile detention center and I hope to carry the baton forward to build the new facility."

Bleyenberg said in an email to the Argus Leader she was humbled and honored at the support shown on Election Day.

"I'm excited to serve to keep moving Minnehaha County forward as the best place to live, work and raise families," said Bleyenberg.

More:'We've got a long way' to go: Minnehaha County ballots will be counted into Wednesday morning

Anderson, who won the county auditor race, told the Argus Leader she had a group of poll watchers monitoring polling places on Tuesday. Her top priorities in the role will be transparency, communication and building relationships with constituents and employees.

"I am most thankful to God for providing me with this opportunity to serve Minnehaha County as auditor," said Leah Anderson.

She is looking forward to starting her term in March of next year and hopes to instill more confidence in the local elections process.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Minnehaha County residents elect new auditor, 3 commissioners