What follows is a list of candidate announcements for those seeking office in 2024. The list is compiled of announcements sent to The Aberdeen Insider and will be updated as more people announce their candidacies.
District 23 Senate: Mark Lapka, R-Leola, is running for the District 23 Senate seat. A fifth-generation farmer/rancher, Lapka is a staunch advocate for agriculture. According to a news release announcing his candidacy, Lapka plans to focus on property rights, local control, fiscal responsibility and limited government.
District 1 House: Chris Reder, R-Warner, has announced plans to run for District 1 representative. Reder is a Central High School graduate who went on to serve in the U.S. Navy graduating from the U.S. Military Intelligence School in Fort Devens, Ma. Â In 2017, he founded DTOM 20/0 Foundation and opened the DTOM Veterans Ranch in 2019.
Aberdeen City Council: Rich Ward has announced plans to run for Aberdeen City Council in the northwest district, according to a campaign announcement. Ward is a life-long resident of Aberdeen, business developer and considers himself an innovative thinker. He has been involved in a startup tour agency and been a tour operator for the past 10 years. He also operates an electric scooter fleet in Aberdeen for the past three summers, established small wireless cell phone stores across the Midwest and was a licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser by the South Dakota Audiology Association. Ward and his wife, Amber, have three children.
Brown County Commission: Kyler Dinger of rural Aberdeen is seeking a four-year term on the Brown County Commission. He’s a pilot who is married with three children and is a sixth-generation resident of South Dakota. “With a future focused conservative agenda, I believe we can preserve our heritage and protect freedom for all residents of the county,” Dinger said in his candidacy announcement. He said important issues include keeping road and bridge infrastructure strong, making county government more efficient, lower property taxes and limited government and supporting the Brown County Fair.
District 1 House: Logan Manhart, R-Bath, is making a second run at a District 1 house seat, according to a campaign post. A native of Brown County, Manhart said he supports the Second Amendment, local law enforcement and family values. Manhart was briefly a District 1 candidate in 2022, but his residency status was challenged as he had registered to vote in Wisconsin while attending school. He withdrew prior to the election. Since then he worked for Secretary of State Monae Johnson in Pierre.
District 3 Senate: Carl Perry, R-Aberdeen. Perry is completing his sixth year serving District 3 in the House of Representatives. He proposed legislation that banned vaping and kratom for minors and has advocated for landowner property rights. He has also served on the Taxation and Retirement Law Committee and is vice chairman of the Commerce and Energy Committee. He serves as chairman of the Aberdeen Regional Airport Board, attends local events and is willing to listen to local concerns, according to his candidacy announcement.
District 3 Senate: Katie Washnock, R-Aberdeen. Washnock, is a mother, entrepreneur and the current chairwoman of the Brown County Republicans. She and her husband operate Blackout Industries and other small businesses and operate a family farm near Verdon. One big focus of hers would be ensuring Aberdeen has a reliable water supply, she said when announcing her candidacy.
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District 3 House: Brandie Schaefbauer, R-Aberdeen. Schaefbauer is finishing her first term in the House. In her candidate announcement she said she is pro-family, pro-constitution, against abortion and a defender of Second Amendment rights. “I ran for office because I believe South Dakota is the best state to raise a family, live and be free. With your support, I will continue to work hard for District 3 and South Dakota,” she said in her announcement.
District 22 House: Lana Greenfield, R-Doland. She is a retired high school English teacher and now owns Greeny’s in Doland. She served in the House of Representatives for eight years and did not seek re-election in 2022 after legislative district boundaries changed. According to a news release announcing her candidacy, she aims to preserve rights, protect children, provide educational opportunities and ensure fewer regulations on small businesses.
District 23 Senate: Steve Roseland, R-Seneca. Roseland has 30 years of experience as an elected official. He’s been elected to the Faulkton School Board and Faulk County Commission and has served on the Faulk County Zoning Board. He was raised on a Faulk County farm, attended South Dakota State University and returned home to be a fourth-generation rancher. “The legislature needs a proven leader to be an advocate for agriculture, small towns and rural values,” Roseland said in a news release announcing his candidacy.
Legislative boundaries
Boundaries of each legislative district changed in 2021 with the adoption of a new map. Counties included in area districts follow:
- District 1: All of Day and Marshall counties, much of rural Brown County and part of Roberts County.
- District 3: Most of Aberdeen.
- District 22: All of Beadle and Spink counties and part of Clark County.
- District 23: Part of Brown County, including a portion of Aberdeen, and all of Campbell, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, McPherson, Potter and Walworth counties.
Positions up for election in 2024 include U.S. House, South Dakota House, South Dakota Senate, county treasurer, county state’s attorney, county coroner and county treasurer.
For more election information, visit sdsos.gov.