If Mayoral Election Were Today, Who Would Win?

SIOUX FALLS, SD - In less than two weeks, Sioux Falls city voters will head to the polls to pick a mayor. Because there are six candidates and one would need 50 percent of the vote to win, it's likely there will also be a run-off election between the top two candidates on April 27.

According to our KELOLAND TV/Argus Leader election poll of 800 voters conducted by Mason Dixon Polling & Research the last four days of March, if the election were held today, here's who would come out on top.

Sioux Falls has five very viable candidates for mayor, four who have double digit numbers in our scientific poll.

Leading the pack is Kermit Staggers with 20 percent of voters polled saying he would get their vote. Staggers is favored slightly more by men and Republicans, but followed closely by Independents.

Vernon Brown comes in second with 17 percent saying they'd pick him for mayor. Women favor Brown, as well as Democrats.

Pat Costello ranks third with 12 percent of those taking part in our poll saying he'd get their vote. Costello's support is divided equally among men and women. And while Independents favor Costello a little more, his support is also pretty even among Democrats and Republicans.

Mike Huether gets 11 percent of the vote in our KELOLAND TV/Argus Leader Election Poll, divided equally among men and women. Democrats favor Huether, followed by Independents.

In fifth place is Bill Peterson with seven percent of the vote. More men favor Peterson, as well as Republicans.

And finally, Janoct Ajda gets 1 percent of the vote of those polled.

But these numbers don't determine how any candidate will do on election day because 32 percent of voters are still undecided and Republicans lead the number of undecided voters.

The results of our scientific poll have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.

If the 2010 election for mayor were held today, which one of the following candidates would get your vote:   City Men Women Democrat Republican Independent KERMIT STAGGERS 20% 23% 17% 16% 23% 22% VERNON BROWN 17% 13% 21% 26% 9% 15% PAT COSTELLO 12% 12% 12% 10% 13% 17% MIKE HUETHER 11% 11% 11% 14% 9% 10% BILL PETERSON 7% 9% 5% 3% 11% 5% JANOCT AJDA 1% 1% 1% 1% - 1% UNDECIDED (not read) 32% 31% 33% 30% 35% 30%

For a look at all of the results as they are released, visit the Poll Results page at KELOLAND.com.

For more on those in the race, check out the Sioux Falls Mayoral Candidate Page.