Joe Sneve

jsneve@argusleader.com

The average age of Northwest District Council candidates drastically lowered this week when a high school senior jumped into the race.

Briggs Warren, 18, filed paperwork Tuesday with the City Clerk’s Office, making official his intentions to become the Northwest District’s next representative on the Sioux Falls City Council.

“We’re seeing a lack of young people involved in government, but government plays such a big role in our everyday lives,” he said. “When I look at the City Council and the way the city is run, there is no representation for the younger generations.”

A senior at Roosevelt High School, Warren will square off in the district race against computer software engineer Greg Neitzert and Erin Srstka, a coordinator in the Minnehaha County Commission office. Current Northwest District Councilor Dean Karsky is term-limited and unable to run again.

Similar to Neitzert’s campaign platform, Warren’s priorities as an elected official are transparency, fiscal policy, zoning and infrastructure.

He said his interest in civic involvement was sparked last year when the school start date was the subject of a Sioux Falls School District ballot issue. At that time he began considering a run at public office.

“I could have more of an impact if I chose City Council” instead of school board, he said.

Warren is among the youngest to ever seek municipal office in Sioux Falls, although not the first. City Clerk Lorie Hogstad said local entrepreneur James Jacobson was 18 when he was unsuccessful in a bid for city commission during the 1986 special election. Other young people also have run for office over the years.

Planning to study political science and journalism after high school, Warren works in retail at the Sioux Empire Mall. Kami and Erik Warren are his parents.

Follow Joe Sneve on Twitter @Argus_Joe.

More candidates clarify ballot outlook