Former sheriff has eyes on Codington County Board of Commissioners seat

January 3, 2020
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.—A former sheriff has taken out petitions to run for a seat on the Codington County Board of Commissioners.

Auditor Cindy Brugman tells KWAT News Toby Wishard has requested petitions to run for the District 4 commission seat that’s now held by incumbent Troy Van Dusen.

Wishard resigned as Codington County Sheriff in late 2016 to go into private business.

Wishard says, “I have successfully worked in partnership with all of our county offices.  I have experience working in collaboration with city, state and federal government in many capacities.  I fully understand the issues facing county government and look forward to using my past county, and new business ownership experience, to help move Codington County forward.”

Van Dusen, who retired from the Watertown Police Department in 2019, tells KWAT News he will be running for re-election in 2020, meaning two former law enforcement officers will be challenging each other.

Wishard was one of three candidates to request petitions Thursday to get on the 2020 election ballot. The others are incumbent State’s Attorney Rebecca Morlock Reeves, who’s running for re-election to that job, and Jim Didier, who will circulate petitions for the District Two county commission seat that’s now held by Charlie Waterman.

Brugman says the number of valid petition signatures that need to be collected to ensure a place on the ballot varies, based on the race and the party affiliation of the candidate.

The filing date for candidates to run is March 31st for Republican, Democrat and Libertarian candidates, and April 28th for an Independent candidate.

The primary election is Tuesday, June 2nd.

The three candidates who requested petitions Thursday are all Republicans.