Candidates in contested races share views as absentee voting begins prior to November 5 General Election

With the November 5 General Election just over a couple weeks away and absentee voting getting underway Wednesday, October 16 for that election, The Standard newspaper issued questionnaires to candidates in the contested races on this year’s General Election ballot where there are more candidates than seats being pursued, in an effort to further inform voters before they cast their ballot. The questions asked, and the replies from each candidate, are printed throughout this week’s edition of The Standard, beginning on this week’s Front Page and also initially featured on Pages 15 and 16.

A sample ballot and election notice listing all the respective races on all of this year’s local General Election ballots has also been published on Page 24 of the Wednesday, October 16, 2024 edition of The Standard, listing races at the Federal, State and County levels of government for voters to make their selections in, along with additional ballot, polling site and election information. All 10 Allamakee County polling locations for the November 5 General Election Day will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

In-person absentee voting for this year’s General Election gets underway Wednesday, October 16 and will continue through Monday, November 4 in the Auditor’s Office at the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday each week. The Auditor’s Office will also be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, November 2 for in-person absentee voting.

The deadline for voters to request an absentee ballot be mailed to them is this coming Monday, October 21 by 5 p.m. A mailed absentee ballot may be requested from the Auditor’s Office by calling 563-568-3522.
 
INFORMED CHOICES - LOCAL RACES
In an effort to help inform voters prior to their venture to the polls November 5 or before they cast their absentee ballots prior to that General Election Day, The Standard issued a questionnaire to each of the candidates in the races being contested on this year’s General Election ballot. The questionnaires were sent to candidates who are vying for a position that had more candidates running for the position than the ballot instructions indicate to vote for - with the exception of the Presidential race.

Included in that mix of contested races are the most local Allamakee County races for the Veterans Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees and the Agriculture Extension Council. Each of those two races has one more candidate on this year’s ballot than there are seats up for election.

After voter approval in November 2022, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) was transferred from City of Waukon ownership to ownership by Allamakee County. Per Iowa Code 347, a new board of trustees is required to be voted in and all trustee seats are up for election. The VMH Board of Trustees currently consists of seven member seats, representation of which is open to any eligible resident of Allamakee County, and there are eight candidates vying for those seven seats on this year’s General Election ballot. All eight of them answered a pair of questions pertaining to their interest in serving on the VMH Board of Trustees (beginning on the Front Page of this week’s edition of The Standard).

Similarly, the Allamakee County Agriculture Extension Council works with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach staff at both the local and statewide level to provide research-based learning opportunities for the people of Allamakee County, partnering to carry out Iowa State University’s land-grant mission across Allamakee County. There are four seats up for election on this year’s ballot, and the five candidates vying for those seats each answered questions pertaining to their interest in being a member of that Council (also beginning on this week’s Front Page).

There are also a number of other races on this year’s ballot at the County level of representation, including voting for trustees in each respective township in Allamakee County. There are also three candidates listed to fill three seats on the Allamakee County Soil and Water Conservation District Commission.

The four countywide government races on this year’s ballot are all uncontested with just one Republican candidate listed for each, including incumbent Sheriff Clark Mellick and incumbent Auditor Denise Beyer, along with incumbent newcomer Nicki Smedsrud, who was appointed to the position of Allamakee County Treasurer earlier this year after the resignation of former Treasurer Jennifer O’Neill and is listed on this year’s ballot “To Fill a Vacancy” to continue her term in that office. Tom Clark is also the lone candidate listed for the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors seat up for election and not being further pursued by current Supervisor Mark Reiser.

STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
A pair of State government races are on this year’s ballot, and both feature contested races that involve Allamakee County within their district representation. Iowa’s District 32 Senator Mike Klimesh of Spillville, a Republican incumbent, is seeking re-election to that office, but is being challenged by Democrat Brian Bruening of Elkader.

Current District 64 Representative in the Iowa House, Anne Osmundson, is not seeking re-election this year. That office is being pursued by Republican Jason Gearhart of Strawberry Point and Ian Zahren of Lansing, who is running as an Independent candidate.

In addition to this year’s Presidential race that features seven different President/Vice President pairs on this year’s General Election ballot, the only other Federal race on the local ballot is Iowa’s District 2 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Incumbent Republican Ashley Hinson is seeking re-election to that District 2 office, with challenges coming from Democrat Sarah Corkery, along with Jody Madlom Puffett, who is running independent of any party affiliation.

OTHER BALLOT ITEMS
In addition to the races for office mentioned above, voters will also be asked to cast their choice for retention for eight different Iowa judges, ranging from one Supreme Court Justice, to four Court of Appeals judges, two District 1A Court judges, and one District 1A Associate judge. There are also two proposed amendments to the State of Iowa Constitution listed on this year’s General Election ballot as well.

For additional information about the November 5 General Election, visit the Allamakee County Election website at https://allamakeecountyelections.iowa.gov, reference the weekly series of “Election Essentials” articles being printed in this same newspaper since its September 25 edition, or call the Allamakee County Auditor’s Office at 563-568-3522.

To read the full article including candidate questionnaire responses, pick up the Wednesday, October 16, 2024 print edition of The Standard or subscribe to our e-edition or print edition by clicking here.