Simplified: James Oppenheimer and Vince Danh are both vying to represent Sioux Falls in the At-Large A seat on the City Council. The seat, vacated by former Councilor Sarah Cole and currently held by interim Councilor Vernon Brown, represents the entirety of Sioux Falls.
Why it matters
- Danh and Oppenheimer beat out candidate Juliann Perrigo Talkington during the June 2 election to advance to the run-off. City Council candidates, per city ordinance, need to get at least 50% of the vote in order to win a seat.
- Both men sat down with Sioux Falls Simplified for an in-depth interview ahead of the June 2 election, and both returned again to talk about more specific policy issues ahead of the June 23 run-off election.
- This guide aims to make it easy for voters to feel smart about the run-off election and empowered to make the choice most aligned with their values at the ballot box.
Here’s a closer look at the candidates
Candidates are listed in alphabetical order, with the order swapping for each question:
Vince Danh
Danh said he never pictured himself running for public office, rather, the 34-year-old entrepreneur and owner of a local video and photography production company anticipated he’d be helping other people get elected.
- But then he had a conversation with a friend in which he realized, “If not me, who?”
“I’ve spent the last couple years building relationships, trying to do my best in the community, and this is just the next step,” Danh said.
James Oppenheimer
James Oppenheimer has spent the last decade running three different nonprofits in the Sioux Falls area: Dakota Alliance Soccer Club, the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society and, in his current role as CEO of the Sioux Falls Family YMCA.
“I’ve chosen to run for city council because I love this city, and I want to follow in the footsteps of those before me who have made this a welcoming, affordable safe city,” Oppenheimer said.
He said he’s been serving the city in various ways through his nonprofit work, and he’s excited to see what more he can do for the community.
Here’s what they had to say about the following topics and questions:
Click the drop-down arrow to see both candidates’ responses. …