Primary likely for Iowa City Council seat

IOWA CITY — It appears a primary election will be necessary after three candidates filed for the vacant District C Iowa City Council seat.

The three candidates — Ross Nusser, Oliver Weilein and Sharon DeGraw — filed nomination petitions by the 5 p.m. Friday deadline. Candidates have until Monday to withdraw.

Assuming the three candidates remain, the primary will be Feb. 4, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the March 4 special election.

The winner will fill the district seat left vacant after council member Andrew Dunn announced his resignation effective Jan. 1, with three years left on the term.

Only District C residents are eligible to vote in the primary, while all city residents can vote in the general election. District C includes downtown Iowa City and north-central Iowa City.

The new council member will join the seven-member council that includes four at-large members and three district members. District council members must live in specified districts but are chosen in the general election by voters citywide.

The three candidates who filed nomination papers — 144 signatures were required — live in District C.

The Iowa City charter requires that petitions contain signatures from at least 2 percent of the number of voters who voted to fill the position in the last regular city election.

The special elections will cost $75,000 for the general election and $25,000 for the primary, according to City Attorney Eric Goers.

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