LEAD Candidate Endorsement: Zach DeBoer

LEAD will release several candidate endorsements between now and November. These endorsements are chosen via votes within our leadership team and are prioritized for candidates who are running for the first time, identify as women (with an emphasis on women of color), or whose platforms appear to support our values of Inclusion, Civility, Action, Social Justice, and Empowerment.

We’re really excited about these motivated, passionate candidates. We’re especially excited to see all of the work LEAD has done to recruit and train candidates for office come to fruition.

We’re thrilled to endorse Zach DeBoer for Sioux Falls City Council. We’ve asked Zach a few questions below. Make sure to vote for him on May 1. Or vote early!

How do you represent LEAD’s core values?

I am a strong believer in LEAD’s mission to bring more women and diverse voices into the political process. Inclusion & Empowerment of minority voices must be a key goal for all of our city’s leaders. If elected, it would be my responsibility to represent the most racially, culturally, and economically diverse district in the city. It’s my belief that if Sioux Falls wants to continue the success we’ve experienced over the past 20 years, we need to start making a concerted effort to lift up leadership in refugee, immigrant, female, and LGBTQ communities.

What will you do differently than your predecessors?

I will strive for an open, transparent, and collaborative city government that welcomes public involvement in the civic process. Coming from a grassroots/community-based background, involving different voices and ‘rolling up my sleeves’ and putting in the work myself is something I’m used to doing. As the representative for the Central District, I will advocate for more aggressive pedestrian and walkability projects in our neighborhoods as well as continued investment in downtown.

What do you want LEAD’s membership to know about you? 

I live in the All Saints Neighborhood with my wife Molly and our dog Ollie. This summer, we’re expecting our first child (a baby girl!)
For the past five years, I have been a vocal advocate for downtown development, walkable neighborhoods, investment in our core, historic preservation, and smart growth. I volunteer and serve on the city’s Visual Arts Commission, the Minnehaha County Historical Society, the All Saints Neighborhood Association, and Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. After years of striving to make Sioux Falls a better place as a citizen, I’m ready to take on the job as a City Councilor.

ABOUT LEAD SOUTH DAKOTA

LEAD South Dakota is a registered 501c(4) nonprofit.  LEAD (Leaders Engaged And Determined) is a grassroots organization aimed at bringing awareness to issues facing South Dakota, the United States, and abroad. LEAD exists to foster a community of individuals who empower and encourage women to be actively involved in all stages of the political process in order to effect positive change for women and families in South Dakota.

LEAD is not affiliated with any political party or organization. We are welcoming and inclusive of all people, regardless of race, age, religion, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, or citizenship.