Lundell to serve fourth term as mayor, but other seats will be contested in Nov. 5 election

CORALVILLE - For the third time in his career as Coralville mayor, John Lundell will run uncontested.

Lundell, 63, who announced earlier this month he was seeking a fourth term as mayor, was the only person to file for that office by the Thursday deadline.

Lundell, a 10-year City Council member before becoming mayor, has not faced an opponent since his first election in 2013. That year, three challenged him in an election best known for the involvement of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group that spent more than $33.5 million in an attempt to defeat President Barack Obama in 2012.

There will be one race to pay attention to in Coralville, however. Mitch Gross and Jill Dodds, both incumbents, and Sandra J. Alvira Roman will run for two City Council seats. All Coralville council seats are at-large.

Elsewhere in Johnson County:

Hills

Mayor Tim Kemp will run uncontested. Three seats on the Hills City Council will be sought by Merle Hill, Cathy Knebel and Guy Sommers.

Lone Tree

Joanne Havel is the lone candidate for Lone Tree mayor. Lone Tree City Council members Ruby Dickey and David Wageman will not be challenged for their seats. Council member Mitchell Swinton is running uncontested to fill a vacancy for a two-year term.

North Liberty

North Liberty has five candidates - Matthew Eckhardt, RaQuishia Harrington, Chris Hoffman, Michael Nicholls and Brent Smith - for three seats. Brian Wayson is running uncontested for a two-year term to fill a vacancy.

Oxford

Penny Jenn is running uncontested for mayor. Three City Council seats will be sought by four candidates - David Cook, Bryan Cooling, Patricia Lewis and Lorena Weppler.

Shueyville

Jack Frisk, Brent Foss and Chris Lacy are running for three City Council seats.

Solon

Mayor Steve Stange will not face a challenger this election, but the same cannot be said for the City Council. Four candidates - John Farlinger, Shawn Mercer, David O'Neil and Kevin Samek - are seeking two open seats.

Swisher

Mayor Christopher Taylor is running unopposed and will return for another term. So will City Council members Mary Gudenkauf, Rebekah Neuendor and Michael Stagg, who each will fill one of three open seats.

Tiffin

The past and present will collide in Tiffin on Election Day when Mayor Steve Berner is challenged by former Tiffin Mayor Royce Phillips. Two City Council seats will be contested. Melissa L.N. Arey, Christine Olney, Lexi Rector, Peggy Knowling Upton and Rodney L. Walls will vie for those seats.

Candidates for the Iowa City and University Heights City Council were previously announced. The election will take place Nov. 5.

Comments: (319) 339-3155; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com