Voting privacy screens set up in the Tama County community of Elberon during a special school election held this past March. Voters will return to the polls on Nov. 7 to vote in the State of Iowa’s 2023 City/School Election. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

The deadline to file as a candidate for the Tuesday, Nov. 7 city and school elections came and went last week with mostly incumbents vying for local seats.

In the community of Garwin, no candidate filed for one of the three city council seats up for election, while in the nearby race for Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District’s board of education, no candidate filed paperwork for one of four seats on the fall ballot.

“If no one runs for an office, it is open to write ins,” Tama County Elections Administrator Karen Rohrs told Tama-Grundy Publishing in an email.

If an individual elected by the most write-in votes declines the seat in a city election, however, several steps ensue.

The write-in candidate may submit a letter of resignation to the city clerk by 5 p.m. on the 10th day following the official canvass. If that does not happen within 10 days — and the winner fails to take the oath of office by the beginning of the new term — the office is considered vacant.

But if a letter of resignation is submitted within the time frame after the final canvass, the individual who received the next-highest number of write-in votes is notified and allowed to accept the seat.

If this second highest vote-getter declines, however, the city council may appoint someone to the office within 60 days of the vacancy, according to Iowa Code.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District

The G-R school board has four At-Large seats up for election this fall.

Incumbents Matt Wyatt and Donovan Devore, both of Reinbeck, filed paperwork for their respective seats, while newcomer Tyler Morgan of Reinbeck also filed.

Incumbents Susie Petersen and Lisa Swanson did not file to run again.

The G-R School Board – which was slated to meet this Thursday, Sept. 28 for the regular monthly meeting – had not yet discussed how best to approach the empty ballot slot prior to the election as of publication, according to board secretary Kayla Sabbah.

Garwin city election

In the city of Garwin, the mayor’s office, two separate four-year term city council seats, plus a two-year term council vacancy are all up for election this year.

Incumbent Darcy McCubbin filed to run for one of the four-year term seats, while Levio Simcox filed for the other. No one filed to run for the vacancy. Matthew Deam filed paperwork for the two-year term mayor’s seat.

Gladbrook city election

In the city of Gladbrook, the mayor’s office and two, four-year term seats are on the ballot this year.

Incumbent mayor Trudi Scott has filed paperwork to run for reelection to her two-year term office, while incumbent council member Scott Schmidt has also filed paperwork to run for reelection.

Newcomer Wayne Nekola filed paperwork to run for the other open seat.

Lincoln city election

In the city of Lincoln, the entire city council’s five, two-year term seats as well as the two-year term office of mayor are on the ballot this year.

Incumbents Dale H. Meyer Jr., Michelle Clark, and John Eilers each filed paperwork for their respective council seats, while newcomers Gaylen Brandt and John Eden filed for the two open seats.

Incumbent mayor H. Trent Wentzien also filed nomination papers for reelection to his two-year term seat.

Reinbeck city election

In the city of Reinbeck, the mayor’s office and two, four-year term city council seats are on the ballot this year.

Incumbent mayor Ash Larsen did not file paperwork to run for reelection. One candidate, Jamie Eiffler filed to run for the seat.

Three individuals filed for the two open council seats including newcomers Dan R. Johnson and Bradon Trepp, and incumbent council member Michele Knaack.

Incumbent city council member Shawn Murphy whose term expires at the end of December did not file for reelection.