Voters to fill open Johnson County supervisor's seat

IOWA CITY – Johnson County voters will decide who will fill an empty seat on the Board of Supervisors.

A committee of the county treasurer, recorder and auditor decided Tuesday to hold a special election March 5. They could have opted to appoint a new supervisor, but there are two years left on the four-year term.

The winner of the election will replace Democrat Sally Stutsman, who was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives last fall and resigned from the five-member Board of Supervisors at the start of this month.

The last time a supervisor's seat was vacant, in October 2009, Janelle Rettig was appointed. A petition later forced a special election, which Rettig won.

Candidates have until 5 p.m. Feb. 8 to file for the election, according to Kingsley Botchway, deputy auditor of elections.