Three candidates have filed valid petitions to run for the open District 5 seat on the Northern Electric Board of Directors. Scott Sperry of Bath, Brian Sharp of Bath, and Beth Locken of Aberdeen will appear on the ballot on September 13. The winning candidate will replace Board President Donna Sharp who has reached her term limit. Only members of District 5 can vote from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 13, at the cooperative headquarters in Bath. The candidate with the most votes will win. The winner will be announced after the annual business meeting and on the co-op’s website and social media accounts. 

Scott Sperry

Scott Sperry is a lifelong member of Northern Electric Cooperative. He is a fourth-generation farmer who raises corn and soybeans and operates a hog finishing unit. Sperry’s grandparents were the second farm energized when the co-op began electrifying rural Brown County in the 1940s. He hopes to contribute to the development of the cooperative if he is elected to the District 5 seat.

“I am looking forward to making a difference in my rural community and working with my neighbors to assist Northern Electric in continuing to provide safe, reliable, and economical electricity for future generations,” Sperry said.

Sperry is active in many local and state boards. Sperry is a delegate for Agtegra Cooperative, clerk of the Bath Township Board, Vice President for the South Brown Soil Conservation District Board, and a member of both the South Dakota Corn Growers Association and the South Dakota Soybean Association. Sperry believes his experience serving other local boards and organizations and his lifelong membership with Northern Electric make him a worthy candidate for the Board of Directors.

“My top priority is to assist the cooperative in continuing to provide reliable and safe electricity at an affordable rate,” Sperry said. “I don’t want brownouts and rolling blackouts which affect everyone from business owners to families. I know how power restrictions negatively impact farming. I want to be an active participant in helping to continue our reliable power supply by serving on the Board of Directors.”

Sperry and his wife Kathy live in Bath and have five adult children and three grandchildren.

Brian Sharp

Brian Sharp has a long resume of service to his community. He would also like to serve his local electric cooperative as a board member in District 5.

“I understand the importance of rural electric cooperatives and want to be able to contribute to the furthering of their mission,” Sharp said.

Sharp is the co-owner and operator of Sharp’s Inc. family farm in Bath. He raises crops and livestock with his wife, parents, brother, and sister-in-law. His oldest son works for a cooperatively owned cheese manufacturer in Minnesota and his youngest son attends South Dakota State University.

Sharp is currently the Vice President of the Aberdeen School Board and has served on the school board since 2005. Sharp also serves on the Brown County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Brown County Communications Council, the Brown County Search and Rescue Team, and is a volunteer with Brown County 4-H. He is looking forward to getting involved with the Northern Electric Cooperative Board of Directors if he is elected to the open seat in District 5.

“I look forward to learning more about the generation and supply of electricity in our region,” Sharp said.

Sharp’s mother, Donna, is currently serving District 5 as the President of the Northern Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. His father, Gary, also served on the board from 2004-2013 and was president of the board for five years.

Beth Locken

Beth Locken has grown up around cooperatives, works for a cooperative, and is an advocate for the cooperative business model. She would also like to serve her cooperative and its members which is the reason she is running for a seat on the Northern Electric Board of Directors.

“I have always seen the benefits cooperatives provide to member-owners and communities by providing safe, reliable services along with community outreach,” Locken said. “When I learned of the opening on the Board of Directors, I was excited by the opportunity to have a voice at the table for the district and communities served by the cooperative.”

Locken is the Director of Safety and Environmental at Agtegra Cooperative in Aberdeen. She has worked for Agtegra for the past 12 years and is looking forward to using her experience to benefit the members of Northern Electric if she is elected to fill the open board seat in District 5.

“With my strong background in safety and community outreach, I am excited to bring my experience and perspective to the board and ensure the cooperative continues to be a strong and positive resource,” Locken said.

Locken and her husband, Nathan, have three daughters and reside in Aberdeen. They enjoy camping, fishing, and participating in community outreach events.

Voting Procedures

• The election for the open District 5 seat will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday September 13, prior to the annual meeting.
• Voting will be held at the cooperative headquarters building in Bath.
• Only Northern Electric members who reside in District 5 are eligible to vote in the election. District 5 generally includes an area from eastern Aberdeen to the community of Bath and the rural areas around Groton. Please call 605-225-0310 prior to September 13 to confirm you live in District 5.
• Paper ballots will be distributed to members of District 5 who arrive at the headquarters building in person from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. on September 13.
• The candidate who receives the most votes will win the election. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the annual business meeting.

District Map