Registered voters in Iowa can now request absentee ballots for the June 2 primary election from their county auditor’s office. The first day auditors can mail the ballots to voters who have requested them will be May 13, the same day early in-person voting begins.
Printable absentee ballot request forms are available on the Iowa Secretary of State’s site. In addition to name and address, the person requesting the ballot must also provide their “voter verification number,” which can be either their driver’s license number, non-operator’s ID number or the four-digit pin number on their Iowa voter ID card.
Signed and completed forms must be returned to the county auditor’s office, either in person or via the mail. Forms must be received by the auditor no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, May 18 to be considered valid. Anyone unsure of the address of their auditor’s office can find it using the Secretary of State’s online look-up tool.
At the state level, there are major primary contests for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate and for the Republican nomination for governor. At the local level, the primaries for the boards of supervisors in three counties will be different this year.
Last year, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill passed by the legislature with only Republican support that changed how supervisors are elected in Johnson, Black Hawk and Story counties. In those counties, and only in those counties, supervisors must be elected by district. All of the state’s other 96 counties are still able to choose whether to elect supervisor by district or at-large.
The three counties targeted by the bill are home to the state’s three public universities. Supporters of the bill said the changes were necessary to make sure the wishes of rural voters weren’t overridden by the influence of university student voters. They denied the bill was intended to improve the chances of Republican candidates in three of the few Iowa counties that are heavily Democratic.
In order to comply with the new law, all the supervisor seats in the three counties will be voted on this year. In some districts, the winner will be elected to a two-year term, in the other districts, the winner will serve the normal four-year term.
Johnson County
The county has been divided into five supervisor districts. Democratic candidates in four of the five districts will be on the June 2 primary ballot. None of the three Republicans running for supervisor will face a primary challenger.
District 1
This district covers North Liberty, Shueyville, Swisher, Oxford and the northwestern part of the county. Voters will select a supervisor for a four-year term.
Democrats
Incumbent Lisa Green-Douglas is running in the district. She is facing a primary challenge from David Woodruff, a media consult and owner of Blue Pear Media and Campaigns.
Republicans
Former police officer Greg Erceg was the only Republican who filed to run in the district.
District 2
This district covers the eastern part of the county, and includes Solon, Hills, Lone Tree, West Branch and a part of eastern Iowa City. Voters will select a supervisor for a two-year term.
Democrats
Incumbent Jon Green is running in District 2. Green will face a primary challenge from Jessica Andino, executive director of the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition, and Janet Godwin, former president of the Iowa City Community School District board.
Republicans
Phil Hemingway, a former member of the Iowa City Community School District board, was the only Republican who filed to run in this district.
District 3
This district covers Coralville and Tiffin, as well as the townships of Clear Creek, Sharon, Union and Washington. Voters will select a supervisor for a two-year term.
Democrats
Sue Dvorsky, the former chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, was the only Democrat who filed to run in the district.
Republicans
Jennie Wunderlich, president of PSC Distribution & Studio H2O and board chair of Greater Iowa City, Inc., was the only Republican who filed to run in the district.
District 4
This district covers the north side of Iowa City. Voters will select a supervisor for a two-year term.
Democrats
Incumbent Rod Sullivan will face fellow incumbent V Fixmer-Oraiz in the June 2 primary.
Republicans
No Republican filed to run in this district.
District 5
This district covers University Heights and western and southern portions of Iowa City. Voters will select a supervisor for a four-year term.
Democrats
Incumbent Mandi Remington is running in District 5. Joe Reilly, director of operations for the Iowa City Downtown District, is challenging Remington in the June 2 primary.
Republicans
No Republican filed to run in this district.
Black Hawk County
Black Hawk County has also been divided into five supervisor districts. Only candidates in District 3 and District 4 face primary challengers.
District 1
This district includes most of the county’s rural parts, and the cities of Gilbertville, Hudson, Janesville, La Porte City and Washburn. Voters will select a supervisor for a four-year term.
Democrats
No Democrat filed to run in this district.
Republicans
Jeff Frost, a retired Waterloo Schools administrator, is the only Republican running.
District 2
This district includes eastern parts of Waterloo, as well as Evansdale, Elk Run Heights, Raymond, Dunkerton and Jesup. Voters will select a supervisor for a two-year term.
Democrats
Bill Dotzler, the longtime state senator from Waterloo, is running for supervisor in this district.
Republicans
Steve Simon, a member of the Waterloo City Council, is running for supervisor in this district.
District 3
This district covers parts of Cedar Falls.
Democrats
Incumbent Linda Laylin is running for reelection. She will face a primary challenge from Kamyar Enshayan, a former member of the Cedar Falls City Council.
Republicans
No Republican filed to run in this district.
District 4
This district covers parts of Waterloo.
Democrats
Incumbent Tavis Hall and fellow incumbent Ritchie Kurtenbach are both running in this district, as is Mark Little, former general manager of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Black Hawk County.
Republicans
No Republican filed to run in this district.
District 5
This district covers parts of Waterloo.
Democrats
Casey Schotter is the only Democrat running in District 5.
Republicans
Incumbent Justin Brandt is running for reelection in this district.
Story County
Story County has been divided into three supervisor districts. Ames is included in all three districts.
District 1
This district covers the north side of Ames, as well as Gilbert and Story City. Voters will be selecting a supervisor for a two-year term.
Democrats
Incumbent Linda Murkin is running for reelection in this district.
Republicans
Jeff Stanton is the only Republican who filed to run in District 1.
District 2
This district covers the east side of Ames, Collins, Colo, Huxley, Maxwell, Nevada, Slater and Zearing.
Democrats
Ross Eveland is the only Democrat who filed to run in District 2.
Republicans
Marty Chitty, a former Story County Supervisor and the current president of the Nevada School Board is running, as are Gannon Hendrick, chief of staff for Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair, and Ricardo Martinez II, the former public safety director in Nevada.
District 3
This district covers the south side of Ames. Voters will be selecting a supervisor for a four-year term.
Democrats
Incumbent Latifah Faisal is running for reelection in this district.
Republicans
Kirk W. Nesset is the only Republican who filed to run in District 3.
