Voter guide for city council seats in Linn County on the November ballot

Residents of Corridor communities are gearing up to run for city council and school board as the Nov. 7 local election quickly approaches.

Here’s what residents should know about the seats on the ballot in Linn County, as well as how to vote.

Recommended Reading

What city council seats in Linn County will be on the November ballot?

This voter guide includes Cedar Rapids and Marion. The Gazette will be speaking with candidates about their campaigns and priorities in future stories.

If there is a race in Linn County that you don’t see mentioned but think we should be covering — or are running in one of the races mentioned — let us know by emailing marissa.payne@thegazette.com.

Cedar Rapids

City Council At-Large

Council members Ann Poe, 71, and Pat Loeffler, 57, are seeking re-election to at-large seats on the nine-member Cedar Rapids City Council.

If reelected, this would be Poe’s fourth four-year term on the council. She has served as director of Hawkeye Downs, was the founding director for NewBo City Market and was the community liaison for the Rebuild Iowa office after the 2008 flood.

Now, she works for The District: Czech Village and New Bohemia as its program manager. She volunteers on the hospitality team for St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.

“I want to make sure (Cedar Rapids) remains welcoming, affordable and a safe place to live,” Poe said. “I think because I was born and raised here and I have three grown children and six grandchildren, it’s really personal to me that the place they call home provides our residents with all the opportunities and quality of life that I wish for our own kids.”

This would be Loeffler’s second term on council if reelected. Loeffler is a retired carpenter who advocates for epilepsy awareness and cannabis laws. He helps his wife run her shop, Corner Stone Apothecary & More in Czech Village.

Loeffler said he wants to run for another term to keep addressing issues such as homelessness and affordable housing, to make the price points of new housing development more affordable.

“It’s my civil duty,” Loeffler said. “It’s not about the money. It’s about the people of Cedar Rapids. It’s a nonpartisan position. It’s not about Democrats or Republicans, it’s about Cedar Rapidians … I want to make this a better place for my kids and everybody else too.”

David Maier, 55, finance and control manager for Transamerica, is challenging the incumbents for one of the two at-large seats.

Since moving to Cedar Rapids five years ago with his husband, Maier has been a board member of CR Pride, Revival Theater Co., Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and CSPS. He now serves on the city Public Art Commission.

If elected, Maier said he would look to mentor and coach people — especially youth who’ve grown up in a culture with toxic politics — to be engaged with government and consider public service.

“Over the years, I’ve developed a good sense of empathy and listening to other people and understanding their needs, their concerns, their goals,” Maier said. “I think of ways that I can help other people, and being on city council is a way to do that. I like the at-large role because I want to be a representative and a voice for all citizens in the community.”

In the race for the two at-large seats, the top two vote-getters in the November election will secure a spot on the council.

City Council District 2

Council member Scott Overland, 60, is seeking a third term representing District 2 on the Cedar Rapids City Council, which spans part of the southeast and northeast quadrants.

Overland, the vice president of investments for Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust, is an Indian Creek Nature Center board member and is on the Neighborhood Finance Corp. advisory board after helping bring the Des Moines-based organization to Cedar Rapids several years ago.

He said he wants to continue the city’s business growth and expansion to keep creating high-quality jobs, accelerate flood control construction and continue street repairs and promote public safety especially through investing in neighborhoods with programs such as Neighborhood Finance Corp.

“I think we have on a national basis, many if not most communities would be enviable of the momentum we have going on in Cedar Rapids,” Overland said. “ … There really is a tremendous amount in so many areas. It’s a team approach across the board.”

City Council District 4

Council member Scott Olson, 77, is vying for a fourth term representing District 4 on the Cedar Rapids City Council, which encompasses much of the northwest quadrant and parts of southwest Cedar Rapids.

Olson said he is semiretired as a commercial real estate broker with Skogman Realty but still has several projects underway in the area. He is an Army veteran, board member of Four Oaks and has held numerous other roles with community organizations.

Initially, Olson said he planned for his current term to be his last, but he spoke with current council members and others in the community who supported him running again for one last term.

Olson said he wants to be part of continued progress on infrastructure and big decisions ahead as the city assesses funding gaps on its permanent flood control system. The current price tag is about $750 million, but with inflation and construction cost spikes, staff are studying whether that may have ballooned.

“There are still things I want to do, help finish,” Olson said. “Make sure we’re still on track for the second phase of Paving for Progress. I’m working really hard to develop better relationships with Linn County … and of course the biggest issue is affordable housing and our homeless.”

Marion

Mayor

Mayor Nick AbouAssaly, 56, is running for a third four-year term as mayor.

“Marion has made tremendous progress in my eight years as mayor,” AbouAssaly said. “While it has required a big commitment of time, it is rewarding to see the city on such a positive trajectory.”

AbouAssaly was first elected as mayor in 2015. Before that, he represented Ward 4 on the Marion City Council.

AbouAssaly is a partner at Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman law firm in Cedar Rapids and focuses on commercial real estate transaction. He has been practicing law for 31 years.

“I am truly humbled and honored to have the opportunity to serve and lead at this exciting time in Marion's history and am committed to continue being a relentless advocate for and promoter of Marion's progress,” AbouAssaly said.

City Council At-Large

Council member Steve Jensen, 68, is running for an at-large seat as a result of the wards being redrawn.

Jensen currently represents Ward 2, but his four-year term was reduced to two years after wards were redrawn and his residence was no longer in the new Ward 2.

During Jensen’s career, he has been a CPA, chief financial officer, president and commercial loan officer. Jensen, who has lived in Marion since 1962, was elected to the city council in 2017.

“It is always my goal that when I am part of an organization, that I leave it in better shape than when I first joined,” Jensen said. “I can say that the city of Marion has accomplished a lot during my tenure, but there is still a lot more progress that I want to be involved in.”

City Council Ward 1

Council member Gage Miskimen, 26, is running for re-election and seeking a full term to represent Ward 1. Miskimen was appointed by the council earlier this year to fill the vacancy when Colette Atkins resigned.

Miskimen has lived in Marion for most of his life. He previously covered Linn County and Marion local government for The Gazette. He now works as a community engagement coordinator at Four Oaks.

“As a former local government reporter, I believe that local government is the most important form of government,” Miskimen said. “The issues that we take on and the things we vote on are the things that impact people most directly in their day-to-day lives.”

Miskimen said one of his main priorities is community engagement, as well as being accessible and transparent when residents reach out.

City Council Ward 2

Council member Grant Harper, 69, is running for re-election but this time in Ward 2 instead of the at-large seat he has represented since 2020.

“The combination of personnel changes (at the city), as well as current ongoing projects (and) new projects that will be spinning up, it just seemed to me it's important to run effectively for another term,” Harper said.

Harper was appointed to the Marion City Council in 2020 after the death of Paul Draper. Harper sought re-election and was unopposed in 2021 for the remaining two years of the four-year term Draper originally started.

Harper, who is now retired, taught science and coached at Linn-Mar High School, as well as worked for Iowa Electric (now Alliant Energy) and Pearson Education during his career. He has lived in Marion since 1979.

City Council Ward 3

Council member Will Brandt, 47, is running for re-election to represent Ward 3 for a third term.

Brandt is a real estate agent with Skogman Realty who has lived in Marion for almost his entire life.

“We've been doing so much in Marion, and we've got so much that we still need to do,” Brandt said. “ … I decided that I just wanted to throw my hat in again, and hopefully get reelected and continue with what we've been doing. I’d like to see things through.”

Brandt said it’s been rewarding to be on council and what he’s proud of during his first two terms is helping residents get their problems or concerns addressed.

“That's what it's really about if you ask me, just helping the residents,” Brandt said.

How to run for office

To run for office, prospective candidates must file an affidavit of candidacy and collect signatures on nomination petitions.

City elections are nonpartisan. In Linn County, city elections are not eligible for primaries.

The period to file affidavits of candidacy and nomination petitions in Linn County begins Aug. 28 and ends at 5 p.m. on Sept. 21.

Nomination petitions and affidavits of candidacy, as well as information on valid signatures, are available for Linn County cities at linncountyiowa.gov/vote under the “Candidate and Campaign Resources” tab.

How to vote

The first day to request a mailed absentee ballot is Aug. 29.

Oct. 18 is the first day in-person early voting is allowed under state law. Early voting details will be shared by each county’s auditor’s office closer to the election.

The voter preregistration deadline is Oct. 23, which is also the deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot.

The last day of in-person early voting will be Nov. 6.

On Election Day, Nov. 7, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters must vote at their assigned polling place.

Comments: (319) 398-8494; marissa.payne@thegazette.com