Primary early voting starts Wednesday in Floyd County

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Early voting for the June 7 political party primaries will begin this week at the Floyd County Courthouse.

The Auditor’s Office announced that voters can begin casting ballots in either the Republican or the Democratic primary beginning Wednesday during regular business hours, which are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Voters must be registered in the party they are voting for in the primary, and party affiliation can be registered or changed at the voting place.

There is only one true race in the party primary election this year for county offices. Stewart Dalton and Josh Mack, both of Charles City, are seeking the Democratic nomination to run for county supervisor representing Supervisor District 2.

The only other Democrat seeking county office is Mark Kuhn of Charles City, running unopposed for the Democratic nomination to represent Supervisor District 1.

The Republican candidates are all running unopposed for their party nomination for county offices.

They are Amy Assink, Charles City, county recorder; Rachel Ginbey, Rockford, county attorney; Jessie Lynn Holm, Charles City, county treasurer; Julius Bryant, Charles City, Supervisor District 1; Dennis Keifer, Charles City, Supervisor District 2; and Jeff Hawbaker, Floyd, Supervisor District 3.

Assink and Ginbey are the only incumbents of either party seeking reelection to county office this year. Treasurer Frank Rottinghaus is retiring and none of the current county supervisors are seeking reelection under the new districting system in place for the first time this election.

Voters can now request absentee ballots to be mailed to them, but the first day absentee ballots for the primary election can be mailed is Wednesday, May 18.

Monday, May 23, is the last day to request a ballot by mail, and voted absentee ballots must be received back at the County Auditor’s Office by 8 p.m. on election day, June 7.

The Auditor’s Office will also be open on Saturday, June 4, for those who would like to cast absentee ballots. Monday, June 6, is the last day residents can vote at the Auditor’s Office.

On election day, voters must cast their ballots at the polls, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The only Democratic candidate for local legislative races is Whitney Mixdorf of Clear Lake for Iowa Senate District 30, which includes Rock Grove and Rockford townships in Floyd County. There are no Democratic candidates for Iowa House District 58 or 60, or for Senate District 29.

There’s much more action on the Republican side. Three people are seeking the GOP nomination to run for Iowa House District 58, which includes all of Floyd County except for Rockford and Rock Grove townships. They are Sean T. Galleger of Fairbank, Charley Thomson of Charles City and Jim Wright of Sumner.

Jane Bloomingfield of Northwood and Deb Hild of Clear Lake are running for the Republican nomination to run for Iowa House District 60.

Incumbent Waylon Brown of Osage is running unopposed for the Republican nomination for Senate District 30 and Sandy Salmon of Janesville is running unopposed for the GOP nomination for Senate District 29.

Floyd County voters will also help decide the state and federal candidates for the two political parties. Races where there are more than one candidate for a party nomination are:

• U.S. Senate – Jim Carlin of Sioux City and Chuck Grassley of Cedar Falls are vying for the Republican nomination for the seat Grassley has held since 1981. Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids, Michael Franken of Des Moines and Glenn Hurst of Minden are vying for the Democratic nomination.

• Secretary of State – Joel  Miller of Robins and Eric Van Lancker of Clinton are running for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Paul Pate.

• Auditor – Todd Halbur of Clive and Mary Ann Hanusa of Council Bluffs are running for the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Rob Sand.

Voters are reminded that they need to bring a valid ID to either the Auditor’s Office or their polling place when they are ready to cast their ballots.

Winners of the primary will move onto the Nov. 8 general election.