Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Election Day Liveblog

10:06 PM: Going home! Congrats to the winners, thanks to everybody who ran, and extra thanks to my staff!

7:25 PM: A brief bump in the road at Twain due to a (false) fire alarm. They're back up and voting.

We're almost ready to get into election returns mode. Results will be here after 8 and on cable channel 5.

6:45 PM: We sent extra workers to North Liberty, City High and Mercer to handle the late rush. If you're in line by 8 you can vote!

6:24 PM: Our 6 PM call in is done. At our last update before polls close the ICCSD is at 4999 (SO close!) voters, on track for the second highest school turnout ever. We've been saying "turnout down" all day, but 2013 was the record.  As at previous updates, City High is the only precinct where turnout is up.

Solon is running less than half their 2013 pace. Lone Tree is quiet but Clear Creek Amana is a little busier than we expected for an uncontested race. We sent extra ballots - but we had estimated really really low.
4 PM: People are asking - If your kids open enroll in another school district, you still vote in the school district where you LIVE. "Live" means "where you sleep at night," not "where you own additional property."

3:20 PM: Our 3 PM call in is done and ICCSD turnout is at 2867, down from 3372 in 2013. Turnout still down at all precincts except City High, but close to 2013 levels at Lemme and Twain.

In our other districts, Solon is at 131, down from 356 at 2013. That drop is way more than the 82 we had at the Votemobile Friday night.

12:25 PM: The Secretary of State's polling place lookup has been updated and now includes school polling places.

Noon: We're doing other stuff today, too: Candidates are still filing for the November 3 city election in all cities except Iowa City and University Heights. The deadline for the other cities is September 17. And there's a lot of interest in Community ID today.

11:39 AM: The mail has arrived and we've received 858 absentee ballots, 736 of those from the Iowa City district. That includes mail, voting at the office, satellite sites, and nursing homes. Details are here (scroll WAY down the page)

14 mailed absentees are not yet returned (13 from ICCSD and one Lone Tree) DO NOT mail them - BRING them to our office or they won't count.

Early voting is way down form 2013, when we counted 1,444 early votes from the ICCSD. The exception is Solon, where thanks to the Votemobile site at Friday's football game, early voting is about double 2013.

11:18 AM: At the 11 AM call in ICCSD turnout is at down from 1648 in 2013. (Remember, the early vote is down as well.) Similar trends to what we saw at 9 AM, with turnout up from 2013 at City High, down slightly at Mann and down more everywhere else.

Things are also quiet in Solon, Clear Creek Amana and Lone Tree.

10:17 AM: People are asking - Names on the ballot start out in alphabetical order, then rotate. The first name alphabetically is listed first in the first precinct, then drops to last in the second precinct and everyone else moves up a notch. This is all specified by law.

If you want to see how this works, and exactly what order the candidates are in on your ballot, the sample ballots are here.

10:06 AM: Someone just brought two ballots in. That's the right thing to do today - do NOT mail ballots today! They needed to be postmarked by Saturday, and if you mail a ballot today it will. not. count.

9:55 AM: People are asking - We've heard reports that some mis-information went out to students about what they need to do to register and vote today.

To do an election day registration, go to your SCHOOL poling place, NOT our office. You'll need ID and proof of address. Details here. We'll need printed paper copies of your stuff; pulling it up on your phone doesn't count unfortunately.

People who are already registered can do a change of address at the polls. Bring ID and go to the school polling place for your NEW address.

9:25 AM: Our first call-in is done and turnout is down most places. In the Iowa City district we're at 635 voters, down from 826 in 2013. Turnout is down in all precincts except Horace Mann and City High, and is only down slightly at Mercer. We're keeping a close eye on turnout all day so we can sent more ballots and/or people if needed.

Turnout is also down in Solon, but they had the heaviest early voting, with 82 people at the Votemobile at Friday's football game.

Clear Creek Amana and Solon are very quiet with no contested races.

8:01 AM: Polls have been open an hour and we aren't hearing about any serious problems. Phones are quieter than they usually are right now. Our first turnout update is an hour away. Turnout updates will be here.

Today you vote at your SCHOOL polling places. For most voters this is different than your regular polling place. Check the list here (bonus: sample ballots!) Android users can also try our Go Vote Johnson County app.

Early voting is down from 2013. Some of that is because we had no early voting yesterday because of Labor Day.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

When And Where To Vote




Because Monday, September 7, is Labor Day, our office will be closed and there will be no voting the day before the election. The last day to vote early is Friday, September 4.

The holiday also changes the deadline for mailed absentee ballots.  In order to count, ballots must be postmarked by Saturday, September 5. Ballots postmarked on Election Day WILL NOT COUNT.

In-person early voting will be available at our office from 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today, tomorrow, and Friday.

Satellite voting for all four Johnson County school districts (Iowa City, Clear Creek Amana, Lone Tree and Solon) will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, in the Fountain Lobby.

The Votemobile will be at the Solon High School football game Friday night from 6 to 9. Voting at this site is only for the Solon School District.

Polls will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will need to go to their school polling places, which for most voters is different than their polling place for any other election.

A full list of school polling places is available here: http://www.johnson-county.com/dept_auditor.aspx?id=14272  Note that some school polling places are new this election. In addition, our office has heard reports that some campaign materials may list incorrect school polling places.

Our Go Vote Johnson County app has been updated to list school polling places, and is available on Google Play.

Please contact our office with any questions.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Iowa City/University Heights Filing Deadline: NO Oct. 6 City Primary Needed



As of 5 p.m. Thursday, August 27, filing for the November 3 City Election in Iowa City and University Heights has closed. There will NOT be an October 6 city primary.

All candidates will proceed to the November 3 city election. University Heights will also have a ballot issue.

Iowa City and University Heights are the only Johnson County cities which require primaries if enough candidates file. (Five for Iowa City council at large, three for Iowa City district seats, three for University Heights mayor, or 11 for University Heights council.)  Iowa City required a primary every city election cycle from 1993 through 2011, but did not need a primary in 2013.  Our office records of city elections date back to the 1970s, and we have no record of University Heights ever having had a primary.

Because of their primary provisions, Iowa City and University Heights have an earlier filing deadline than the county’s other cities.  Filing for other cities continues through September 17. The list of candidates and ballot issues will be updated as candidates file: http://www.johnson-county.com/dept_auditor.aspx?id=17905

Candidates in Iowa City and University Heights may withdraw through September 1st.

Iowa City and University Heights candidates are as follows:

Iowa City - all terms four years
At Large: Two to be elected.
Rockne Cole
1607 E Court St
Iowa City 52245
319-621-6307
rocknecoleATgmail.com  

Tim Conroy
1410 Foster Rd (mail: 308 E. Burlington St #224)
Iowa City 52245
319-321-3679
tconroy21ATgmail.com 

Michelle L. Payne
1126 Village Farm Ct
Iowa City 52240
319-471-3632
mlpayne.322ATgmail.com
Incumbent  

Jim Throgmorton
814 Ronalds St
Iowa City 52245
319-621-9391
jthrogmoATyahoo.com
Incumbent (in District C seat)  

District A: One to be elected.

Rick Dobyns
1950 Calvin Ave
Iowa City 52246
319-530-3881
dobynsforcouncilATgmail.com
Incumbent

Pauline Taylor
1917 Graslon Dr
Iowa City 52246
319-338-4522
rickt2128ATaol.com   

District C: One to be elected.

Scott McDonough
10 Bella Vista Pl
Iowa City 52245
319-631-0405
mcdonoughscott1ATyahoo.com  

John Thomas
509 Brown St
Iowa City 52245
319-338-1841
johnfredericthomasATgmail.com  

University Heights - all terms two years

Mayor 

Louise From
207 Monroe St
Iowa City 52246
319-354-1433
louisebobATmchsi.com
Incumbent 

City Council: Five to be elected.

Carla Aldrich
206 Mahaska Dr
Iowa City 52246
319-621-7852
carla-aldrichATuiowa.edu 
appointed incumbent   

Stephany Gahn
62 Highland Dr
Iowa City 52246
319-325-5609
StephanygahnATaol.com

Mike Haverkamp
315 Golfview Ave
Iowa City 52246
319-430-0864
mikehaverkamp1960ATgmail.com
Incumbent

Jim Lane
303 Highland Dr
Iowa City 52246
319-338-4963
jimlaneATyahoo.com
Incumbent

Dorothy Dotti Maher
60 Marietta Ave
Iowa City 52246
319-351-2784
319-321-6161
dorothy.maherATmchsi.com

Silvia Quezada
416 Ridgeview Ave
Iowa City 52246
319-354-3854
smq130AThotmail.com
Incumbent

Ballot issue (50% required)

Shall the terms of elective office of the Mayor and Council Members of the City of University Heights, Iowa be changed from two (2) to four (4) years, with the Council Members' terms being staggered?

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Faster Than A Speeding Ballot

This year’s mock election at the Johnson County Fair will have both secret ballots and secret identities.  Voters will choose the greatest superhero.

Because it’s a caucus year, we’re going to have a presidential contest too.  Democratic and Republican presidential candidates will be on separate ballots, but the same superheroes will be listed on both because superheroes are nonpartisan.

Mock election voting hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, July 27 through Thursday, July 30.

The Auditor’s Office has hosted mock elections at the county fair since 1999.  Everyone attending the fair, including kids, will be able to see and use real voting booths and machines.  Preliminary results will be posted during the fair.

Candidates on the ballot will be:

Superheroes
Batgirl
Batman
Captain America
Flash
Iron Man
Spiderman
Supergirl
Superman
Wonder Woman

Democratic Presidential Candidates
Lincoln Chafee
Hillary Clinton
Martin O'Malley
Bernie Sanders
Jim Webb
Uncommitted Democrat

Republican Presidential Candidates
Jeb Bush
Ben Carson
Chris Christie
Ted Cruz
Carly Fiorina
Lindsey Graham
Mike Huckabee
Bobby Jindal
John Kasich
George Pataki
Rand Paul
Rick Perry
Marco Rubio
Rick Santorum
Donald Trump
Scott Walker
Uncommitted Republican

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

July 17 is Community ID Day



Applications for Johnson County Community IDs will be accepted beginning Friday, July 17 at 1 p.m. at the Johnson County Administration Building, 913 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City.

Johnson County will be the first community in the Midwest, and the first outside a major metropolitan area, to offer community issued identification. The program has been a joint effort of local governments, business, and labor.

The Community ID program is designed to help people who may have difficulty getting a state-issued ID, such as seniors who no longer drive, the homeless, people in poverty or transition, and new immigrants. A Community ID can help these people interact with law enforcement, local government, pharmacies and banks.

All Johnson County residents, even people with a driver’s license or non-driver ID, are encouraged to get a Community ID.  Many area businesses will offer discounts to people who present a Community ID.

Community IDs will cost $8 for adults and $4 for children. Applicants will be required to present secondary forms of identification to get a Community ID. The following documents are enough by themselves:


  • ·         US or foreign passport
  • ·         Driver’s license or non-driver ID card from any US state
  • ·         US Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”)
  • ·         Birth certificate or consular ID (“CID”)


People who have no items from the above list may apply for Community IDs by presenting two forms of personal identification and one document proving Johnson County residency. A full list of accepted documents will be on the County web site, http://www.johnson-county.com. All documents will be verified before the Community ID is issued, and Community ID cards will be mailed.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

We never really left, but we're back

Happy Fiscal New Year's Eve, everyone.  These pages have been blank the last few months. We've been doing stuff, just not election stuff. After many months of effort by business, labor, and government, Johnson County's Community ID program is about to begin. Our first staff training was today. We hope to begin issuing IDs on July 13, pending additional training.



Design not final; height and weight not necessarily accurate.

Right now we're near the end of the longest stretch without an election in Johnson County since 1986-87. The school board vote on September 8, will be 10 months after the November 2014 general election.

Filing for the school board election starts next Monday, July 6 at school district offices. Find out more about the requirements and dates here.

Before that real election, we'll be having our annual mock election at the Johnson County Fair July 27-30. We'll have both a political contest and a fun contest this year.

Filing for the November 3 city election starts August 10 in Iowa City and University Heights, and August 24 in other cities. A change this year: city candidates file the paperwork with our office now, rather than at city offices.

And we hear that there's this caucus thing going on, but we don't do that, the political parties do. But we're always happy to answer FAQs.