Unusual council election taking shape

IOWA CITY - It looks like the City Council election will offer a couple of rarities.

Three-term incumbent Connie Champion filed nomination papers Wednesday with the City Clerk's Office for the Nov. 3 election.

University of Iowa students Jared Bazzell and Jeff Shipley also filed papers Wednesday. Both are seniors.

It's not believed an Iowa City Council member has ever served four terms, although some have run for a fourth term. That includes Dee Vanderhoef, who lost her re-election bid two years ago.

Students have served on the council before, but it's rare, City Clerk Marian Karr said.

Champion is seeking re-election to the District B seat she has held since 1998. Bazzell and Shipley are running at large, with two of those seats up for election.

The candidate filing deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday.

Stories on Shipley and Bazzell will be in Thursday's Gazette. Champion has not returned a phone message as of 6 p.m., so it looks like a story on her will come at a later date.

 The Gazette reported on the candidacies of Terry Dickens, Susan Mims and Mark McCallum when they announced in the spring.

UPDATE: The stories didn't make it in Thursday's Gazette. We'll shoot for Friday.