Susan Wismer

Susan Wismer^[2] is an American politician and a Democratic member of the South Dakota House of Representatives representing District 1 since January 2009.

Biography

Susan M. (Jones) Wismer was born in Britton, South Dakota to Maurice and Dorthy Jones. She’s the oldest of six siblings and grew up on the family farm in Northeast South Dakota. She attended Britton Elementary and High schools (now Britton-Hecla) and graduated with a degree in English from Augustana College in 1978. After college she taught high school English for a year in Iowa. In 1979, Susan married Mark Wismer, also of Britton. She and Mark moved to Washington for his job, and she studied and became a certified public accountant. In 1983, Susan and Mark moved back to Britton with their newborn son, and continued to raise their children, three in all, in South Dakota close to family. Upon their return to Britton, Susan and one of her sisters founded, and currently own and operate, Britton Bookkeeping and Tax Service. Susan’s familiarity with South Dakota’s universities is a point of pride, as all of her children attended in-state schools.

Susan has always been an active member of her hometown church, First Presbyterian, in Britton. She has served as an elder, vocal and bell choir member, Sunday school teacher and has volunteered her time to serve on many local and Presbytery-wide committees. Susan and Mark both love music and have instilled that interest in their children who all sing and played in high school and college bands and choirs. Susan can often be found singing in the choir or playing piano and organ duets with her mother or one of her sisters on a Sunday morning.

Susan's interest in civic involvement is a product of the family in which she was raised. Her grandfather, Art Jones, was the first president of Basin Electric and a legislator. Her uncle, Curtis 'Curtie' Jones also served in the legislature from 1971-1986 and was a Regent on the South Dakota Board of Regents. As a high school student, Susan served as an intern in the South Dakota legislature and saw firsthand the responsibility and duty that elected officials have to their constituents. In 2008, once all of her children had graduated high school, she ran for the South Dakota House of Representatives to represent District One which include Roberts, Day, Marshall, and parts of Brown County. Susan finally had the opportunity to look out for the interests of her constituents and affect change the way policy makers that she admired had. She is now in her 3rd term (6th year). Wismer has served on the Appropriations Committee since the beginning of her legislative service. She is a current member of Government Operations and Audit Committee, and has served on the legislative redistricting and various summer study committees. She is a representative to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact and on the planning committee for the International Legislators Conference. She is an alumni of the Midwestern Council of State Government’s Bowhay Legislative Leadership Development Program. She was a member of the first class of South Dakota Ag and Rural Leadership.

Elections

• 2012 With incumbent Democratic Representative David Sigdestad leaving the Legislature and leaving a District 1 seat open, Wismer and Dennis Feickert were unopposed for both the June 5, 2012 Democratic Primary^[3] and the November 6, 2012 General election, where Feickert took the first seat and Wismer took the second seat with 4,833 votes (44.8%).^[4]

• 2008 When District 1 incumbent Democratic Representatives David Sigdestad was term limited and Clayton Halverson left the Legislature leaving both District 1 seats open, Wismer ran in the four-way June 3, 2008 Democratic Primary and placed first with 2,073 votes (34.49%),^[5] in the five-way November 4, 2008 General election fellow Democratic nominee Jason Frerichs took the first seat and Wismer took the second seat with 4,940 votes (31.22%) ahead of Republican nominees Ron Olson, Scott German, and Constitution candidate Franklin de Padilla.^[6]

• 2010 With incumbent Democratic Representative Frerichs ran for South Dakota Senate and left a District 1 seat open, Wismer and former Representative Sigdestad were unopposed for both the June 8, 2010 Democratic Primary^[7] and the November 2, 2010 General election, where former Representative Sigdestad took the first seat and Wismer took the second seat with 4,336 votes (49.79%).^[8]

References

External links

• Official page at the South Dakota Legislature
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart