The Ballot Brief
Clay County, South Dakota

South Dakota House District 17

4 candidates are tracked for South Dakota House District 17 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Austin Brunick, Leslie Gerrish, Chris Kassin and Troy Redler. Candidate information follows official Clay County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Austin Brunick (Democratic), Leslie Gerrish (Democratic), Chris Kassin (Republican), Troy Redler (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for South Dakota House District 17. Voters choose two. Chris Kassin is the sitting member, per the Legislature's 2026 session roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 2, 2026 primary, per the South Dakota Secretary of State's 2026 general-election candidate list.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Voters choose 2; the top 2 finishers win seats. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Chris Kassin, is on the ballot.

South Dakota › Clay County › South Dakota House District 17

Austin Brunick

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Raising the minimum wage with annual inflation adjustments
  • Funding public education and school meal programs
  • Ensuring affordable health care access, including rural medical facilities

Per the South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

Biography

Austin Brunick lives in Elk Point, South Dakota, per the campaign site, and works as a technologist, per South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Brunick is running for South Dakota House District 17 on a message of representing working class South Dakotans.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Leslie Gerrish

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Adequate school funding
  • Protecting water and farmland, including from data center development
  • A moratorium on new data centers until their impact is better understood

Per the South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

Biography

Leslie Gerrish is based in Vermillion, South Dakota, and runs a small business, per the campaign site. Gerrish was the keynote speaker for the 2025 Vermillion High School graduating class, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Chris Kassin

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Lowering taxes and reducing regulatory barriers for job creation
  • Supporting education and teachers
  • Maintaining balanced state budgets

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Chris Kassin currently serves in the South Dakota House of Representatives for District 17 and sits on the House Appropriations Committee, per the South Dakota Legislature member directory. First elected in 2022, Kassin is vice president of external relations at the University of South Dakota Foundation and holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in public administration, both from the University of South Dakota, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Troy Redler

Republican

Top priorities
  • Property tax relief and fiscal responsibility
  • Workforce development
  • Improving access to health care

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Troy Redler is a pharmacist and owner of Redler's LTC Pharmacy, per the campaign site. Redler holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Creighton University and lives in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
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Questions about this race

Who is running for South Dakota House District 17 in 2026?

4 candidates are tracked for South Dakota House District 17 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Austin Brunick, Leslie Gerrish, Chris Kassin and Troy Redler. Candidate information follows official Clay County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the South Dakota House District 17 election in South Dakota?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for South Dakota are on the South Dakota election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Clay County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Clay County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official South Dakota election office, or see the full Clay County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Clay County ballot

4 tracked races in Clay County, South Dakota. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
South Dakota Senate District 17South Dakota Senate District 18See all 4 Clay County races
Candidate profiles
Austin Brunick, full profileLeslie Gerrish, full profileChris Kassin, full profileTroy Redler, full profileOfficial South Dakota election office