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# Fact brief: Will Christine Erickson be first female mayor of the 3 state’s biggest cities?
- URL: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/fact-brief-christine-erickson-sioux-falls-sd-female-mayors/
- Published: 2026-07-14T09:00:04.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-14T16:22:48.000Z
- Description: As Sioux Falls prepares to swear in its first female mayor, have Rapid City and Aberdeen ever elected women to lead their cities?
- Author: Michael Klinski
- Tags: Fact briefs, #feature-4, Government/Politics

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png)

## No.

While South Dakota’s largest city is preparing to swear in its first female mayor, she will not be the first woman to lead one of the state’s three largest cities.

Aberdeen, the state's third-largest city with a population of 28,479, last had a female mayor in the 1980s. Delphine “Del” Janusz was elected in 1981 and served until 1987\. 

Neither Sioux Falls nor Rapid City has had a female mayor, but Sioux Falls is set to inaugurate its first.

Christine Erickson was elected to be the next Sioux Falls mayor in a runoff against Jamie Smith after a recount showed she won by a four-vote margin. Smith on Tuesday conceded, so Erickson will be sworn in on Friday.

Erickson was a state legislator and former Sioux Falls City Council member.

*This fact brief was updated to reflect Smith's decision.*

ℹ️

This fact brief responds to claims such as [this one](https://www.facebook.com/Argus911/posts/pfbid06nXjZ3wHjpDpx26L4vDidiYTPMdRGujVFBUmfkSnyrhb64Z7eVW6yUzvxWsn4KRVl).

### Sources

Dakota News Now, [Christine Erickson announced as winner of Sioux Falls mayoral race after recount](https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2026/07/09/christine-erickson-announced-winner-sioux-falls-mayoral-race-after-recount/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

SiouxFallsLive.com, [Jamie Smith to detail plans in recount for Sioux Falls mayor on Tuesday](https://www.siouxfallslive.com/news/sioux-falls/jamie-smith-to-detail-plans-in-recount-for-sioux-falls-mayor-on-tuesday?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

Rapid City Library, [Rapid City mayors](https://rapidcitylibrary.org/rapid-city-mayors?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

Sioux Falls Argus Leader, [How Christine Erickson became Sioux Falls' first female mayor](https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/07/10/what-happened-for-2-days-with-sioux-falls-mayor-race-recount-christine-erickson/90872407007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z116730p000750c000750e008700v116730d--32--b--32--&gca-ft=185&gca-ds=sophi&ref=sdnewswatch.org)

Census.gov, [Aberdeen population](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/aberdeencitysouthdakota/HEA775224?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

### About fact briefs

Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by South Dakota News Watch as part of the [Gigafact](https://gigafact.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org) network. **Submit a question** for us to answer [on the tipline](https://gigafact.org/tipline/south-dakota-news-watch/?ref=sdnewswatch.org).

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**South Dakota News Watch* is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at*[ *sdnewswatch.org*](http://sdnewswatch.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)*. *Contact freelance reporter Michael Klinski:* michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org.*