City elections show varying turn-out

City elections were held statewide Tuesday, November 3, including in six local communities. Allamakee County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Denise Beyer reported that voter turn-out rates for the election varied widely throughout the County, with the lowest turn-out of just seven percent in the City of Postville where there were no contested races on the ballot.
In Waukon, there were two contested races on the ballot - Mayor and At-Large City Council - but only 17% of registered voters turned out to vote in that election. In Lansing, Public Measure A to increase the hotel/motel tax and write-in campaigns for the City Council attracted 21% of registered voters to the polls.
Four candidates running for three seats on the Harpers Ferry City Council brought 30% of Harpers Ferry voters to the polls, while write-in campaigns for City Council seats in Waterville attracted the interest of 31% of Waterville voters. The election in New Albin attracted the highest voter turn-out in the County with 41% of voters making their choices in one contested race for City Council and a write-in campaign in the uncontested race for City Council.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Thursday, November 5 to canvass the results of the City election, with unofficial results indicating that a run-off election would be required for one of the at-large seats on the Waukon City Council because no candidate received more than 50% of the total votes cast. The top two candidates in that race, Ben Rausch and Christine Enyart, will now have to face off again in a run-off election scheduled for Tuesday, December 1.

Waukon
Duane DeWalle was elected as Waukon’s new Mayor with 265 votes, defeating Al Buege, who received 186 votes. Ben Rausch received the most votes, 209, in the election for the open at-large seat on the City Council to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Darrold Brink, ahead of current appointed councilperson Christine Enyart, with 157 votes, and Jean Brink, with 92 votes. No winner has been declared in that election because a City of Waukon ordinance requires a run-off election when no candidate receives more than 50% of the total votes; the run-off election between Rausch and Enyart has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 1.
John Lydon was elected to represent Ward 2 on the City Council in an uncontested race, with 135 votes. Former Waukon Mayor Dwight Jones was elected to the other at-large seat on the Council in an uncontested race, with 362 votes. Dennis Lyons, Kevin Hanson and Matt Goltz were all re-elected to the Veterans Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees in an uncontested race on the Waukon ballot.

Lansing
Incumbent Mayor Mike Brennan won re-election in an uncontested race, with 117 votes. John Rethwisch received 92 write-in votes and Don Peters received 90 write-in votes to both fill one Council vacancy and unseat incumbent councilperson Deb Volker, the only declared candidate, who received 60 votes.
Public Measure A to increase the hotel/motel tax to seven percent passed with 95 votes in favor and 59 against. That increase received nearly 62% approval from Lansing voters.

New Albin
Incumbent Mayor Debra Stantic won re-election in an uncontested race, with 135 votes. Alexie Grotegut won a seat on the City Council with 92 votes, along with Kathy Goetzinger, with 86 votes. Ralph Nelson received 63 write-in votes to also earn a seat on the Council, defeating declared candidate Ralph Meyer, who received 18 votes. Dale Mauss received 52 write-in votes and Richard Data also received 49 write-in votes in that race. George Blair was elected to an at-large position to fill a vacancy on the City Council, with 121 votes, along with Joshua Dreps, with 107 votes, topping Michael Zeimet, who received 13 votes.

Harpers Ferry
Incumbent Mayor Jerry Valley won re-election in an uncontested race, with 59 votes. Richard Smrcina won one of three open seats on the City Council with 63 votes, along with Betty Palmer (50) and Nancy Walleser (48), defeating Larry Schulte, who received 44 votes.

Waterville
Incumbent Mayor Dave Monserud won re-election in an uncontested race, with 24 votes. Mark VanderKolk won election to the City Council with 26 votes, along with Kurt Rathbun, Joseph Weipert and Robbie Burrett with 23 votes each, and Matt Rathbun with 17 write-in votes.