Fort Pierre Mayor Gloria Hanson made it official Friday (Feb. 6, 2026)— she is running for a 7th, two-year term.
During a news conference with media, about a dozen city employees and one city council member present, Hanson reflected on the first time she was elected.
Hanson said another reason she wants to continue as mayor is to keep a promise she made to her husband before he passed away in August (Aug. 24, 2025).
Hanson said she’s been involved in many projects during her time leading Fort Pierre city government, some of which aren’t finished yet.
The joint Fort Pierre City, Stanley County Commission and Stanley County School Board election will be held June 2. Along with Hanson, other Fort Pierre City Council members whose terms expire this year are Ward 1 Alderman Larry Cronin, Alderman Scott Deal in Ward 2 and Ward 3 Alderman Rick Cronin.
On the Stanley County School Board, Chris Fosheim and Jessica Paxton-Deal’s three-year terms expire this year.
For Stanley County Government, four-year terms expiring this year include:
- Commission District 1 Craig Heller,
- Commission District 3 Dana Iversen,
- Commission District 5 Gary Grittner,
- Auditor Phil Burtch,
- Register of Deeds Patricia Duffy, and
- Sheriff Brad Rathbun, who is not seeking reelection.
Candidates could begin circulating nominating petitions earlier this week (Feb. 2) and they must be filed no later than March 24. Absentee voting for the June 2 election begins April 17.
Because of a change in state law, Fort Pierre is required to hold its municipal election in either June or November, rather than holding it’s own, stand-alone election in April like it had been doing. The city council approved holding the election on the June primary date, but it remains a non-partisan election, meaning the highest vote getter in each race wins with none of the races extending onto the November general election ballot.
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