Community Corner
Stage Nearly Set for New Johnson County Supervisor: Daily Iowan Reader, March 5
Also inside: Journalist Vargas visits UI, Branstad opts for personal plan over Medicaid expansion, Woodbury finding his role with Hawks.
Stage nearly set for new Johnson County supervisor
Johnson County officials say a late-evening snow storm, “voter fatigue,” and a proposed Cedar Rapids casino are all contributing factors in the dismal voter turnout leading up to tonight’s appointing of a fifth and final county supervisor.
“It’s a little bit slower than what we’d like to see,” Johnson County Auditor Travis Weipert said. “I think the casino vote and media attention in Linn County has really overshadowed this race.”
The special election vote to choose a new Johnson County supervisor takes place today, following more than two months of campaigning from both the Democratic and Republican candidates. The winner will fill the seat vacated by former supervisor Sally Stutsman.
When the polls close at 9 p.m. tonight, either current Johnson County Democrats head Terry Dahms or GOP nominee John Etheredge will claim the seat.
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Stutsman left her position in November 2012 in order to serve as the head of the Iowa House District 77. The last time there was a vacant seat on the board was in October 2009. Supervisor Janelle Rettig filled that spot.
As of 8:30 p.m. Monday, roughly 1,854 early votes were cast, 313 of which were made on Monday alone. During Rettig’s special election in 2009, Weipert said more than two times as many votes had been cast by that time.
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