If you’ve ever thought of serving your community in an elected role, your yearly opportunity to do so is soon approaching with City Council election season just around the corner!
In Lennox, City Council terms last for two years, with staggered terms in each of three wards. This year, three City Council seats will be up for election, as well as the position of Mayor. City Council vacancies are announced during the last two weeks of January in the local newspaper, as required by South Dakota law.
Anyone interested in running for City Council or Mayor is able to start circulating nominating petitions starting on January 26, and must return those petitions to City Hall by 5:00 PM on February 23 in order to be included on the election ballot. Petitions are available at City Hall, or through the Secretary of State’s office at https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/nominating-petitions/download-nominating-petition.aspx. The process for completing a nominating petition can be somewhat complicated, and candidates are encouraged to review the municipal candidate guide at https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/assets/2023/HowtoCirculateMunicipalNomPetition2023.pdf.
While the position of Mayor is elected at-large and only requires the candidate to reside within the municipal limits of Lennox, the position of Alderman (City Council) requires the candidate to identify which of the three wards in which they reside. A ward map is available for review at https://www.cityoflennoxsd.com/o/lennox/page/government-and-council and at City Hall at 107 S Main Street.
Once all nominating petitions are received (and if there are multiple nominating petitions for each vacancy), an election will be announced to be held on April 9 from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The winners of that election are typically announced that evening, and the new City Council will be seated on May 13, 2024.
If you have any questions about Lennox’s municipal election, please do not hesitate to contact Denise Hanson, Finance Officer, at 605.647.2286 or at financeofficer@cityoflennoxsd.com.