Special election set for March 11

DETAILS

We are combining precincts and utilizing Voting Centers. As for early voting, it will not start until we order ballots, and we can't certify until the filing window closes 14 days before the election.”

Sherri Yasenchok, Lee County Auditor

Special Election

Lee County will hold a special election at the direction of Governor Kim Reynolds on March 11, to fill the vacancy in the 100th District in Lee County.

LEE COUNTY – The special election to replace Rep. Martin Graber (R-100) in the Iowa House of Representatives will take place on Tuesday, March 11, according to a release from Gov. Kim Reynolds office today.
Graber died Friday, Jan. 31, creating a vacancy in the House that per Iowa code 69.14 required a special election. That election was determined by the governor’s office to be held “when practical” since the vacancy occurred while the general assembly was in session.
The Lee County Republican committee will be holding a nominating convention on Thursday, Feb. 13 at the Community Room in Donnellson. According to Lee County GOP Chairman James Creen “four to five” candidates for the position will be on hand to meet with members.
Names circulating for the post include current Supervisor Garry Seyb, Jr. and Nannette Griffin, a Democrat who ran against State Sen Jeff Reichman in the November general election. Other names have also circulated but weren’t able to be confirmed as of this posting.
The Lee County Democrats are holding a caucus Monday, February 17 as their monthly meeting. It is unknown if a nomination will take place at the time.
The special election puts Lee County Auditor Sherri Yasenchok at the forefront of getting the county ready in a little over four weeks.
“It's a tight timeline, for filing and conducting and canvassing, but that's the only real difference in this special election,” Yasenchok said.
“We are combining precincts and utilizing Voting Centers. As for early voting, it will not start until we order ballots, and we can't certify until the filing window closes 14 days before the election,” Yasenchok said.
She said independent candidates will need to collect signatures and submit a petition to the county auditor’s office.
She said the election is at county expense so using voting centers will save money, time, and resources for taxpayers.
She said the county has authority to establish voting centers where any registered voter can vote regardless of where they live, however they may not be used for primary and general elections. 
The decision to use vote centers is by jurisdiction. For example, the auditor may use vote centers for one of the cities and use regular polling places for other cities during a city election. Unlike when precincts are merged/consolidated, vote centers are established in lieu of regular polling places.