South Dakota mayoral candidates separated by just two votes in shockingly close race, recount expected

Out of more than 36,000 votes cast in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, mayoral runoff contest, the candidates are shockingly separated by just two votes.

Christine Erickson, a former South Dakota state representative and former Sioux Falls city council member, is leading state Sen. Jamie Smith, who is also a former state House member, by that razor-thin two-vote margin.

The candidates have 18,280 and 18,278 votes respectively.

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Smith, who plans to request a recount, said during a phone call with Fox News Digital on Thursday that “every vote does count,” noting, “This is exactly an election that shows you that.”

While the race was nonpartisan, Smith is listed as a Democrat on the South Dakota legislature’s website, while Erickson, who served in the state House over a decade ago, is listed as a Republican on the site.

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“Thank you Sioux Falls! To my family, friends and supporters, I couldn’t have done this without you. This election exemplified that every single vote truly matters. To the people of Sioux Falls, even with a close margin, I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to lead Sioux Falls forward for the next four years,” Erickson said in a Wednesday statement.

“Even though the polls have closed, the fight continues. We know there will be a recount and I feel confident going into this next phase. My team and I are prepared to make sure the recount moves forward fairly with accuracy and transparency,” she continued.

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“Congratulations also to Jamie for a hard fought campaign. Sioux Falls has a bright future, and we will come together to make sure our community thrives today and for generations to come. My promise is the same as it was on day one of this campaign: I will lead with common sense and make sure city government serves you, the people. I’m excited to get to work,” she concluded.