Corridor counties welcome new auditors

For the first time in over a decade, both Linn and Johnson County are welcoming new auditors — who, among other duties, oversee elections in their counties — after their predecessors decided not to seek re-election.

Democrats Todd Taylor and Julie Persons won the roles of Linn and Johnson County auditor, respectively, in the November 2024 general election.

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

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Todd Taylor returns to Cedar Rapids

Longtime Linn County Auditor Joel Miller announced he would not be running for re-election in 2023, leaving the role open for a newcomer.

Taylor, who has served in Iowa Legislature first at a representative and then as a senator for almost three decades, said that he thought the job would be a good fit for him based on his experience. While in the Legislature, Taylor served on the Appropriations and State Government committees, where state spending decisions are made and where voting laws are created.

“This job is too important to leave to the hands of the unqualified. Well, am I qualified? Yes, and it's because of my years of experience in the Legislature, being on the ballot myself and dealing with budgets and the law,” Taylor said.

Taylor said that he plans to work with staff in the auditor’s office to identify equipment that needs to be upgraded and continue to look for ways to improve the voting experience for Linn County residents.

“I've had my turn at lawmaking, and now I'd like to come home, but still contribute to the public service,” Taylor said.

Taylor beat out Republican Terry Chostner, a sales engineer from Alburnett, for the position that pays over $135,000 a year.

“I’m going to lean into learning on the job, and then that will be my best way I can pay back the people for their belief in me and putting me in this role,” he said.

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Julie Persons to serve as Johnson County auditor

Persons won the Democratic nomination for the position at a special nominating convention in August after Travis Weipert resigned from his post as Johnson County auditor in July and decided not to pursue re-election, citing health reasons.

No Republicans ran for the office, which pays $120,000 a year.

Due to Weipert’s resignation, Persons immediately jumped into the role upon winning the election. Persons said she’s already begun working with her staff on identifying ways the county can make the voting process more efficient

“It never really stops after elections, just because it's not public, there’s still a lot of behind the scenes on what can we do to make things better for both sides so the poll workers feel comfortable and confident that they know what they're doing, so that way, when people show up, they know they're getting accurate information,” Persons said.

Persons, who became the first female mayor of Swisher in January 2024, previously worked at Transamerica as a senior customer care liaison before becoming auditor.

“I had been looking for a career move already, not necessarily toward county government, but something new, so it was the right thing at the right time,” Persons said. “I had to make a quick decision, because the convention was coming up. So I did and I’ve had a lot of support through the entire process.”

Though Persons, a University of Iowa alum, never thought about working in county government, she said her career experience involving leadership and collaboration has already served her well.

“I'm just really glad that it's an excellent office and a great staff,” Persons said. “I've always liked the county people that I've run into over the years, so I'm just proud to be one of them now.”

Trish Mehaffey of The Gazette contributed to this report

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