Aberdeen, SD (Hub City Radio)
Boys State Announces 2026 South Dakota State Officers and Honors
A total of 129 high school junior and senior boys participated as delegates in the 83rd Annual Session of the American Legion Boys State of South Dakota. The program was held May 25–29 on the campus of Northern State University in Aberdeen.
Delegates conducted their general election for state officers on Thursday, May 28. Results were announced by Boys State Director Doug Harris.
Coltyn Raymond of Ethan, a rising senior at Ethan High School, was elected Governor. Patrick Quale of Volga, a student at Sioux Valley High School, was elected Lieutenant Governor.
Two delegates were selected to represent South Dakota at the American Legion Boys Nation program in Washington, D.C., this July: Luke Swanson of Aberdeen and Owen Kopfmann of Mitchell. Named as alternate delegates were Mathew Flanegan of Rapid City and Coltyn Raymond of Ethan.
Micah Zastrow of Redfield was named the 2026 recipient of the Samsung American Legion Scholarship. His application has been forwarded to the National American Legion Selection Committee, which will award ten $10,000 scholarships to national finalists.
Other statewide election results include:
- Attorney General: Lukas Cann of Rapid City
- Secretary of State: Hunter Werner of Spearfish
- State Auditor: Henry Van Scharrel of Huron
- State Treasurer: Shahid Shaik of Sioux Falls
- Commissioner of School and Public Lands: Samuel Barnett of Sioux Falls
Elected to the Public Utilities Commission were Tejas Mahesh and David Cook, both of Sioux Falls, and Derrick Bogart of Redfield.
In non-political elections, four justices were chosen to serve on the Boys State Supreme Court: Gavin Kroll of Bath, James Wheeler of Huron, Mason Muilenburg of Aberdeen, and Orville Randazzo of Sioux Falls. Lee Decker of Rapid City was elected Chief Justice.
Connor Johnson of Spearfish was selected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, while Allen Hendrickson of Rapid City was elected President Pro Tempore.
Party leadership positions were also filled. Charles Ashton of Rapid City was selected as Nationalist Party Chairman, with Mason Muilenburg of Aberdeen serving as the Nationalist Party Keynote Speaker. The Federalist Party elected Mathew Flanegan of Rapid City as Chairman and Hunter Werner of Spearfish as Keynote Speaker. Ashton was also recognized as Outstanding Speaker.