Meet the mayoral candidates

Megan Raposa -

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of stories leading up to the April 12 election. Follow the "2022 City Election" tag for more.

Simplified: Three people are hoping to fill the mayor's seat for the next four years. Here's a look at who's on the ballot for the April 12 election.

Why it matters

  • The mayor leads a town of more than 200,000 people as well as overseeing a city government with nearly 1,300 employees.
  • The mayor also sits on the Sioux Falls City Council, which oversees a more than $650 million annual budget.
  • Historically, challengers of incumbent mayors have an uphill battle. An incumbent mayor in Sioux Falls hasn't lost a bid for re-election since 1974, according to City Clerk Tom Greco.

Here's a breakdown of the candidates. Candidates are listed in the order in which they'll appear on the ballot.

Paul TenHaken

Age: 44

Family: Wife, Jill, and children Jade (15), Max (12) and Nora (8)

Profession: Incumbent mayor, former founder and CEO of Click Rain

Community involvement: Volunteer with church, takes annual service trips to Haiti

Taneeza Islam

Age: 44

Family: Husband, Tim, and two sons, Zaki (11) and Amiri (7)

Profession: Executive Director of South Dakota Voices for Peace and South Dakota Voices for Justice

Community service: Serves on South Dakota council to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, on several SD BAR committees, and on the Great North Innocence Project

David Zokaites

Age: 60

Family: Two daughters, one in town and one in Salt Lake City

Profession: Former database administrator, now a "student of government" and public activist

Community involvement: Recipient of JC Penny Community Award, volunteers at a local school, engaged in local government