“I do not find that you have shown by a preponderance of evidence Mr. Marquess is not a resident of Tama County.” This is the ruling made by Tama County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Laura Kopsa following a hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 7. Challenges to voter registration are filed with Kopsa’s office. Attorney Mike Marquess faced a challenge of his voter registration as a resident of rural Garwin by Mike Bandy, rural Traer. According to the Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s office, the decision can be appealed to Tama county District Court. A ruling there is final according to Iowa Code. Marquess sought the Tama County Attorney’s post on the Democratic ticket in the Nov. 6 General Election. Bandy is the assistant county attorney in the office of Brent Heeren who won the race and was reelected to his 10th term. In her ruling Kopsa said she found Bandy “did not rebut the residency evidence” Marquess presented in the hearing. Marquess maintained he did live at the Garwin home, intended to continue to live there, his car was registered in Tama County, had his personal mail delivered there and spent most nights there. He admitted the family arrangement was unorodox, at least to some, but his wife and he had agreed upon it. Bandy had pointed to Marquess’ wife and children living in a home in Marshalltown. He contended the rural Garwin property at Union Grove Lake did not qualify as Marquess primary residence. He said Marquess wife, District Court Judge Bethany Curry is required to live in Judicial District 2B which does not include Tama County.