The Sioux Falls mayoral race has delivered a stunning reminder that every single vote counts. In South Dakota’s largest city, just two votes now separate the two candidates, setting the stage for a recount that will decide who leads a community of more than 210,000 people.

A Razor-Thin Margin

When ballots were counted Tuesday evening, former state legislator Christine Erickson, a Republican, edged ahead of state Senator Jamie Smith, a Democrat, by a margin almost too small to believe: two votes.

For Erickson, the outcome underscored a lesson she was quick to share. She told reporters that when people assume their voice doesn’t matter, this race proves otherwise, calling it a prime example that every vote counts.

Provisional Ballots Don’t Move the Needle

The wafer-thin margin held even after election officials examined the remaining ballots. Minnehaha County reviewed five provisional ballots left over from election night, but only two were deemed valid. Those two split evenly between the candidates, leaving the tally essentially frozen.

The final count stood at:

• Christine Erickson: 18,280 votes
• Jamie Smith: 18,278 votes

According to Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson, no additional ballots are expected to be considered before a potential recount.

Both Sides Brace for a Recount

Neither candidate treated Tuesday night as the end of the contest. Both acknowledged the race would almost certainly be settled through a recount.

Erickson said her team anticipated the recount and expressed hope that the results would hold, or even widen slightly in her favor.

Smith, meanwhile, refused to concede and urged his supporters to keep the faith. He told the crowd the race was far from over, insisting his campaign would not accept the current outcome. Beyond the recount itself, he hinted that his team was looking into other matters as well, though he didn’t elaborate.

What’s at Stake

The nonpartisan race is to replace term-limited Mayor Paul TenHaken, a Republican. Despite the nonpartisan label, the contest carried clear political weight.

Erickson, currently a member of the Sioux Falls City Council, drew support from many of South Dakota’s leading Republicans, including state Attorney General Marty Jackley. Smith, who was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2022, hoped to hand his party a meaningful victory in a politically competitive city nestled within a reliably red state.

There’s also a historic dimension to the outcome. If the results hold, Erickson would become the first woman ever elected mayor of Sioux Falls.

For now, the city waits. With only two votes dividing the candidates, the recount could shift the result in either direction, making this one of the closest and most closely watched mayoral contests the region has seen.