South Dakota Searchlight reporters visited polling places Tuesday to talk with voters about the primary election.

Here’s a sampling of those interviews.

Samantha Stobbe, 41, Republican, Sioux Falls

Stobbe was an independent for years, but registered Republican to vote in primaries. Stobbe said she tried to dig into candidates’ views, but “everyone is so general and vague in the answers they give.”

“That’s frustrating for me as a voter,” said Stobbe, who brought her young daughter along to her polling place, the Military Heritage Alliance.

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She ultimately opted for Jon Hansen in the Republican primary for governor. His focus on traditional family values was a selling point for her, and one that’s become more salient since she started her own family.

“As a parent, I’ve kind of changed my political desires,” Stobbe said. 

For Sioux Falls mayor, Stobbe voted for a state lawmaker whose votes in Pierre often ran counter to Hansen’s during legislative sessions: Jamie Smith. 

The 2022 Democratic nominee for governor opted to run for mayor instead of seeking another term in the Legislature. Stobbe was convinced to vote for Smith in the mayor’s race after Smith’s appearance at a forum at Southeast Technical Institute.

“He gave the most transparent and heartfelt answers,” Stobbe said.

Jeremy Mercier, 33, Republican, Sioux Falls

Mercier is a three-time Donald Trump voter, but Toby Doeden’s Trumpian messages fell flat for Mercier in the Republican governor primary.

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“He’s trying to ride on the coattails of Trump’s success,” Mercier said, adding that Trump’s actions in his second go-round as president have been a disappointment.

Mercier cited the Iran war, the lack of an economic turnaround and concerns about redactions from the information released by the Trump administration about the disgraced late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mercier said he feels the president pulled away from his transparency promise about releasing files related to Epstein.

Johnson was “the least bad option,” for governor, Mercier said, in part because he thinks the congressman has done a decent job focusing on core issues in an elected body Mercier now sees as too beholden to Trump to protect the national interest. 

Dan Harrell, 55, Republican, Sioux Falls

Harrell said while there’s not a presidential election on the ballot, this election was “almost as important, especially for our state, because it’s got the governorship.”

“I’m looking for experience, and so for me, the one who’s going to have the most experience for our state is going to be Dusty,” Harrell said, referring to Dusty Johnson. “Just because he’s been representing us for longer than the other ones have.”

Elizabeth Lewis, 57, Republican, Sioux Falls

Lewis said she voted for Dusty Johnson for the Republican Party’s nomination for governor because he’s the “most moderate” among the Republican candidates, even though she wasn’t impressed with his time in Congress.

“Extremes tend to have unintended consequences,” she said. “He’s still the best choice for governor.”

Douglas Kooiman, 78, Republican, Sioux Falls

Kooiman said he voted with “conservative values, because there are too many radicals all over.”

Jon Hansen was the best choice among the four Republican governor candidates, Kooiman said.

“Dusty is too much of a D.C. politician. It’s time for him to go back to the private sector,” Kooiman said. “As for Doeden, I listened to him talk and all I heard was ‘I, I, I.’ It didn’t appeal to me.”

On Marty Jackley’s campaign for the Republican U.S. House nomination, Kooiman said, “I’ve seen what he’s done as attorney general. He goes after law breakers.”

On incumbent Mike Rounds’ campaign for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, Kooiman said, “I’m satisfied with his job.”

The newly mandated combination of local elections this year with the primary or general election is “a lot to keep up with all at the same time,” Kooiman said.

Laura Giles, 53, Republican, Sioux Falls

Giles and her family moved to Sioux Falls in 2019. She voted for Jon Hansen for governor, she said, to maintain conservative values in local and state elections.

“I like what he stands for. He’s a family man, Christian, and his voting record speaks for itself,” Giles said. 

On legislative races, Giles said she left one spot blank because she was unfamiliar with the candidates. She did the same for city council. 

“If I don’t know them, I’d rather not vote,” Giles said.

She said combining local and state races in the primary was convenient but overwhelming.

“It’s too much,” Giles said. “It’s a lot of research to do.”

Mark Johnson, 72, Republican, Sioux Falls

“I’m tired of the shell game in Pierre,” Johnson said, referring to decisions to cut property taxes while increasing sales taxes, approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Larry Rhoden. 

Johnson voted for Dusty Johnson for the Republican nomination for governor.

“He makes the most sense. He’s fighting for us in D.C.,” Johnson said. “He’s future-minded, whereas everyone else seems like they’re in it for themselves.”

Johnson said he voted for Marty Jackley because of his track record as state attorney general.

“Now there’s a guy who fights for you,” Johnson said.

Ann Buesing, 44, Republican, Sioux Falls

“I feel like this election is as big and as important as November,” Buesing said.

Buesing voted for Hansen for governor. He’s a fresh face compared to Rhoden and Johnson, she said, but isn’t untested like Doeden.

“When I read through their stances, I just liked his overall take on where he wants to take South Dakota,” Buesing said of Hansen. 

Buesing said she voted for Justin McNeal for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination and James Bialota for U.S. House.

“I think we can use a fresh look and perspective,” Buesing said.

Brian O’Connor, 57, Republican, Rapid City

O’Connor said he voted for Doeden in the Republican governor primary. 

“I just think we need somebody different, and I’ve seen those other people too much, and he’s probably the one that is the least political right now.” 

Abram Naber, 42, Republican, Rapid City

Naber voted for Doeden for governor, who has pledged to phase out property taxes. 

“I want the state to go in a new direction,” Naber said. “I think property taxes are a heinous injustice and should be abolished.”

Naber added that Doeden is “an outsider.”

“I think we need fresh meat, fresh blood in the Governor’s Office,” Naber said.

Searchlight reporters John Hult, Joshua Haiar, Makenzie Huber and Meghan O’Brien contributed to this report.