Who’s running for city offices in Linn and Johnson counties? A look at this year’s candidates

Thursday was the deadline for prospective candidates for local office to file their affidavits of candidacy and nomination petitions to appear on the upcoming Nov. 4 ballot.

The following people have filed to run for public office in the cities in Linn and Johnson counties. Incumbents are noted with (i).

Find more information about the candidates in Linn County at linncountyiowa.gov/157/ElectionServices. Find more information about Johnson County races at johnsoncountyiowa.gov/auditor/elections.

Linn County

Alburnett

Mayor (one seat)

Bethany Sarazin (i)

Bill Valka

City Council (two seats)

Melissa Stoll

Joe Trumm (i)

TJ West (i)

Bertram

City Council (two seats)

Laura Merchan

Stephanie Vislisel

Cedar Rapids

Mayor (one seat)

Myra C. Bradwell

Tiffany O’Donnell (i)

City Council At-Large (one seat)

Tyler Olson (i)

City Council District 1 (one seat)

Marty Hoeger (i)

Sam Wilson

City Council District 3 (one seat)

Dale Todd (i)

City Council District 5 (one seat)

Ashley Vanorny (i)

Center Point

Mayor (one seat)

Traer Morgan (i)

City Council (three seats)

Melissa McLaughlin (i)

Nathan Schnell (i)

John Stuelke (i)

Central City

City Council (three seats)

Richard Fox III

Mary Jayne Good

Dustin Moyer (i)

Chad Watkinson (i)

Coggon

Mayor (one seat)

Reenie Montgomery

City Council (two seats)

Jeffrey Lynn Harbaugh (i)

Brian Rowe

Ely

City Council (two seats)

Mark Becicka (i)

Brock Holub

Daniel Whitaker (i)

Fairfax

Mayor (one seat)

Jo Ann Beer (i)

Steve Huber

City Council (three seats)

Cindy Anderson

Debra Mallie

Tom Nurre (i)

Nicholas Volk (i)

Marianne Wainwright (i)

Hiawatha

City Council (two seats)

Robert Archibald (i)

Jill Weigel (i)

Lisbon

City Council (three seats)

Ricky L. Scott (i)

Nathan Ron Smith (i)

Marion

City Council At-Large (one seat)

Destiny Hastings

Kelvin Unemin

City Council Ward 2 (one seat)

Grant Harper (i)

City Council Ward 4 (one seat)

Charles Kelsey

Sara Mentzer (i)

Mount Vernon

Mayor (one seat)

Keith Huebner

Thomas M. Wieseler (i)

City Council (two seats)

C. Sherene Hansen Player

Paul A. Tuerler (i)

Palo

Mayor (one seat)

Bryan Busch

City Council (three seats)

Taylor Burgin

Josh Frank

Eric Van Kerckhove

Jen Welton (i)

Prairieburg

Mayor (one seat)

Sandra Meyer (i)

City Council (two seats)

Justin Plein (i)

Nathan Smart

Brady VanAmburg (i)

City Council, to fill vacancy (one seat)

Brian Meyer (i)

Robins

Mayor (one seat)

Chuck Hinz (i)

City Council (two seats)

Dave Franzman (i)

Leslie Hoyt

Bruce Vander Sanden

Springville

Mayor (one seat)

Lyle J. Andersen (i)

Daryl Pearson

City Council (two seats)

Cindy Kilburg (i)

Drew Mollenhauer

Steven Pingel

City Council — to fill vacancy (one seat)

Treva Davis

Walker

Mayor (one seat)

Cole Bamrick (i)

City Council (two seats)

Kyle Glenn (i)

Paul E. Nielsen (i)

Austin Prose

How to vote

Voters can now request mailed absentee ballots from their county auditor’s office.

Oct. 15 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. 20, which is also the deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot.

The last day of in-person early voting will be Nov. 3.

On Election Day, Nov. 4, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters must vote at their assigned polling place.

Johnson County

Coralville

Mayor (one seat)

Laurie Goodrich

Ryan Swenka

City Council (three seats)

Katie Freeman

Deborah Gill

Kathy Hotsenpiller

Mike Knudson (i)

Hai Huynh (i)

R. Marshall Pope

Derick Schroeder

Jennifer Struthers

A ninth person, Jennifer Williams, filed paperwork to run for Coralville City Council, but a note on the Johnson County Auditor’s Office website notes Williams’ nomination papers were rejected.

Hills

Mayor (one seat)

Tim Kemp (i)

City Council (two seats)

Emily Hudachek (i)

Iowa City

City Council At-Large (two seats)

Newman Abuissa

Megan Alter (i)

Clara Reynen

Bruce Teague (i)

City Council District B (one seat)

Shawn Harmsen (i)

Amy Hospodarsky

The Iowa City charter requires a primary if three or more candidates file for a district seat, or if five or more candidates file for an at-large seat. A primary is not required ahead of this year’s election.

In Iowa City, all voters in the city may vote for district seats and at-large seats in the general election.

Iowa City Council Forum

The League of Women Voters Johnson County will host a candidate forum next month for the candidates running for Iowa City Council. The forum will be Monday, Oct. 6, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Iowa City Senior Center’s Assembly Room, 28 S. Linn St., Iowa City.

Audience members may submit questions for the candidates at the forum. The forum will be livestreamed on the LWVJC Facebook page and recorded for playback on the City Cable TV Channel in Iowa City, and the recording will be posted on lwvjc.org and citychannel4.com.

Lone Tree

Mayor (one seat)

Josh Spilman (i)

City Council (three seats)

Nicholas P Gluba (i)

Roger Goedken (i)

Kimberly Hamm (i)

City Council — to fill vacancy (one seat)

Matt Zadow (i)

North Liberty

Mayor (one seat)

Chris Hoffman (i)

City Council (two seats)

Tonja Fortney

Erek Sittig (i)

Brian Wayson (i)

Oxford

No candidates filed for any Oxford city office. A mayor and three council seats were set to be on the ballot.

Shueyville

Mayor (one seat)

Chase Lang

City Council (two seats)

Mark J Divitt

Joel Sennett (i)

Matthew Wilson

Solon

City Council (three seats)

Cole Gabriel (i)

Tim Gordon

Matthew Macke

Greg Morris

Lauren Whitehead (i)

Swisher

Mayor (one seat)

No candidates filed

City Council (two seats)

Kody Pudil (i)

Brian Wernimont (i)

Tiffin

Mayor (one seat)

Tim Kasparek (i)

City Council (three seats)

Al Havens (i)

Tony Johnson

Tim Orris (i)

Eric Schnedler (i)

University Heights

Mayor (one seat)

Louise From (i)

City Council (five seats)

Mackenzie E. Dwyer

Nicholas Herbold

Liesa Moore (i)

Timothy Ray Schroeder (i)

Doug Swailes (i)

West Branch

Candidates for office in West Branch were not posted. The city’s boundaries include land in Johnson and Cedar counties. The list of candidates will be posted by the Johnson County Auditor’s Office when control county auditors have notified Johnson County of nomination filings.

Comments: grace.nieland@thegazette.com, megan.woolard@thegazette.com