Jim Prouty grabs 79% of the vote to Rich Headid’s 21% in the Republican primary for Union County Sheriff. Davis, Shorma, Kassin win GOP legislative primaries.

By Gary Dickson, Editor – Siouxland Observer

Interim Sheriff James Prouty has taken a big step to removing “Interim” from his title by winning the Republican primary. Since there was no Democratic primary for the office, it is likely he will be voted to complete the remainder of the late Sheriff Dan Limoges term in office in November. (Photo provided by James Prouty)

In a race that some thought would be much closer (including me), Interim Sheriff Jim Prouty trounced North Sioux City Police Chief and Union County Commissioner Rich Headid in the Republican party primary Tuesday by a lopsided margin.

According to unofficial totals from the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office, Prouty had 1,367 votes or 79% of the 1,729 votes cast. Headid garnered 362 votes, or 21% of the total.

Prouty had been with the sheriff’s department since 2011. Before joining the department, he was an officer with the University of South Dakota Police Department. In the sheriff’s office, Prouty advanced to chief deputy, and second-in-command to longtime sheriff Dan Limoges. When Limoges unexpectedly passed away this February, the Union County Board of Commissioners named Prouty interim sheriff.

***North Sioux City Police Chief and Union County Commissioner Richard Headid*** (City of North Sioux City photo)

Richard Headid of North Sioux City joined the North Sioux City Police Department as a police officer in March 1995. Before that, he was an officer in Alcester, S.D. for three years. Headid also has been serving as a Union County Commissioner at the same time, winning elections in 2014, 2018 and 2022. He represents District 3 which is mostly North Sioux City.

Headid announced fairly early his candidacy for sheriff. There had been some rumors going around that he might run but some doubted he would make an attempt at the office at this time because Prouty was essentially considered the hand-picked successor of the late Sheriff Dan Limoges. And after all, what purpose would his candidacy serve other than to cause a potential rift between the two law enforcement units in the county. There had been no problems raised by other members of the county commission or members of the sheriff’s department regarding Prouty’s management ability or Limoges administration.

Yet, Headid decided to run anyway. And he came out of the gate quickly, putting up yard signs and posters all over North Sioux City. One really couldn’t drive anywhere in North Sioux without seeing one of his signs. That may have been a problem for Headid, though, if you look at how the vote broke down according to precincts. The only precincts he won were the two in North Sioux City – and then not by very much. He only took one precinct – Precinct 10 – by two votes, winning 50% to 49%. He did better in Precinct 9 winning it by six votes. I think Precinct 10 is where the police chief lives and is in the same district he serves as county commissioner. Apparently, his neighbors don’t think he should be running for sheriff.

Precincts 11 and 12 went in a big way for Prouty. This makes sense because these precincts cover Dakota Dunes and they are served by the Union County Sheriff’s Department rather than the North Sioux City Police Department. So if residents there would have contact with any law enforcement officers other than the Night Patrol, it would be the Sheriff’s Department. And when the Dakota Dunes residents had a community meeting last fall about a wave of vandalism in the community, it was Sheriff Dan Limoges and the Night Patrol that answered their questions, not the North Sioux City Police Chief.

The other problem Headid has may be one of county-wide perception. There are rumblings about him being too ambitious. He’s the police chief in North Sioux, plus a Union County Commissioner, and then he decides to run for Union County sheriff. He never addressed if he’d resign from the county commission if he won the election.

”I want to congratulate Jim Proudy (sic) on a very well ran campaign for Sheriff, I’m proud of how hard he campaigned for the Sheriff position. Well deserved Jim Proudy!!!! Your brother in blue
Richard Headid

Local television station KCAU reported that Headid did post a message about the election conceding the race. They quoted him saying, ”I want to congratulate Jim Proudy (sic) on a very well ran campaign for Sheriff, I’m proud of how hard he campaigned for the Sheriff position. Well deserved Jim Proudy!!!! Your brother in blue – Richard Headid.”

Turnout across South Dakota in the primary was historically low at 17% — the lowest percentage since the state began combining presidential primaries with other primary races in 2000. Turnout was 27% among Republicans and 7% among Democrats, independents and non-politically affiliated voters (who are lumped together in the data because all of them are allowed to vote in Democratic primaries). ***Union County had a 17.7% voter turnout.*** (Photo by Gary Dickson)

Here is the breakdown of the 12 precincts in Union County and how they voted in the sheriff’s election, according to the Secretary of State’s office:

PRECINCT-01

HEADID

13%

Votes: 8

PROUTY

86%

Votes: 53

PRECINCT-02

HEADID

14%

Votes: 11

PROUTY

85%

Votes: 63

PRECINCT-03

HEADID

7%

Votes: 24

PROUTY

92%

Votes: 314

PRECINCT-04

HEADID

15%

Votes: 15

PROUTY

84%

Votes: 82

PRECINCT-05

HEADID

12%

Votes: 17

PROUTY

87%

Votes: 118

PRECINCT-06

HEADID

25%

Votes: 44

PROUTY

74%

Votes: 129

PRECINCT-07

HEADID

1%

Votes: 2

PROUTY

98%

Votes: 107

PRECINCT-08

HEADID

7%

Votes: 8

PROUTY

92%

Votes: 104

PRECINCT-09

HEADID

52%

Votes: 72

PROUTY

47%

Votes: 66

PRECINCT-10

HEADID

50%

Votes: 56

PROUTY

49%

Votes: 54

PRECINCT-11

HEADID

28%

Votes: 50

PROUTY

71%

Votes: 124

PRECINCT-12

HEADID

26%

Votes: 55

PROUTY

73%

Votes 153

TOTAL VOTES

1,729

***Dakota Dunes residents in Precinct 12 could vote at Holy Cross Lutheran Church at 149 Bison Trail.*** (Photo by Gary Dickson)

Three Republican incumbents win races in district

State Senator Sydney Davis, R-Burbank, easily took care of her challenge from Jeffrey Church from Vermillion in District 17 to move on to the Nov. 5 general election. Davis garnered 67% of the vote while Church managed to get 33%, according to unofficial results. There is no Democrat on the ballot so Davis is nearly guaranteed to return to Pierre in January.

In the state representative contest where two are picked, State Representatives Chris Kassin, R-Vermillion and William Shorma, R-Dakota Dunes will move on. Kassin captured 50% of the vote in the three person race and Shorma got 42%. Coming in a distant third was Robin Schiro with 8%. Kassin and Shorma will face Ray Ring of Vermillion in the November general election, the only Democrat to file for the race.

District 27 covers the southern two-thirds of Union County and includes Elk Point, North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes. It also includes most of Clay County, including Vermillion.