Johnson County auditor resigns for health reasons

IOWA CITY — Johnson County Democrats are planning a special convention to nominate someone to run for county auditor after Travis Weipert resigned from the job, citing health reasons.

Weipert, who was unopposed in the June Democratic primary, was running for re-election in the Nov. 5 election.

Weipert, auditor since 2013, resigned Thursday in a letter to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors and notified the deputy elections commissioner of his intent to no longer pursue re-election.

At this point, no Republican is running for the job, which pays $120,000 a year.

Ed Cranston, chair of the Johnson County Democrats, told The Gazette the party “definitely will” hold a convention to select someone to run for the post, though the convention is in its early planning stage with no date announced.

General election ballot vacancies due to candidate withdrawal must be submitted to the county’s commissioner of elections no later than 5 p.m. on the 69th day before the election -- meaning late August.

Chris Edwards, accounting deputy in the Johnson County Auditor’s Office, will be the acting auditor until Johnson County supervisors appoint an interim to serve the remainder of Weipert’s term.

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Rod Sullivan, chair of the Board of Supervisors, said the board will appoint an interim auditor “as soon as possible.”

“It’s a big job and an important job,” Sullivan said. “That office does a great job of getting out the vote, and I’m confident that whoever wins that election will continue to do that.”

The Auditor's Office is responsible for administering local, state and federal elections and maintaining the county's voter registration record. It also maintains records of property ownership for taxation purposes and handles accounts payable and payroll for the county government.

“I am grateful to the people of Johnson County for the privilege of serving my community and am incredibly proud of what my office and my amazing staff have done to improve access to voting in Johnson County,” Weipert wrote in his resignation letter.

He did not specify the health reason that led to his resignation.

Linn County Auditor Joel Miller, who has worked with the Johnson County Auditor’s Office throughout Weipert’s time in office, said the two offices have had a “friendly rivalry” when it comes to the work they do to support voters.

“But I had no idea that there was plans to resign, so I was caught off guard like everyone else was,” Miller said.

Comments: megan.wollard@the gazette.com