Officials will appoint next Floyd County supervisor, unless special election is petitioned
By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com
A group of Floyd County elected officials has chosen to fill a vacant seat on the Board of Supervisors by appointment rather than calling a special election, and is accepting applications through Wednesday, July 3.
The vacancy in Supervisor District 2 was created by the June 10 death of Supervisor Dennis Keifer.

Under Iowa law, the county auditor, recorder and treasurer are responsible for filling a vacancy on the board, either by making an appointment or calling a special election. Auditor Morrigan Miller, Recorder Amy Assink and Treasurer Jessie Holm met Tuesday morning and quickly agreed to appoint someone.
Although the officials are not required to seek applicants for the vacant position, they decided to do so, agreeing that persons interested in the seat must submit a cover letter and résumé by 4 p.m. on July 3 to the Auditor’s Office.
They also must submit written answers to a list of 10 questions that the three county officials agreed to use to help evaluate candidates.
The questions cover why the applicants want the job and how much time they can commit; their understanding of board duties, budgeting experience and leadership skills; views on county issues and balancing district vs. countywide needs; community involvement, political affiliation and if they would choose to still run if a special election is called.
One question asks, “How would you prioritize which programs or services to retain If major reductions in funding were to occur?”
The final question asks, “If it came down to you and one other person, why should we choose you?”

Applicants must be “eligible electors” – U.S. citizens at least 18 years old who meet the qualifications to register to vote, including no disqualifying felony convictions. They must also have lived in District 2 for at least 60 days prior to the appointment.
The three officials will meet again Monday, July 7, to review the applications. Applicants may make short statements to the officials during that meeting, then the officials may make an appointment.
If they don’t agree on a new supervisor on Monday, they’ll reconvene on Tuesday, July 8. A new supervisor must be appointed and sworn in within 40 days after the vacancy occurred, in this case by Sunday, July 20.
Because they chose the appointment route, the officials were required to publish a notice advising District 2 residents that they may petition for a special election. The notice appears on page 7 of today’s Press.
To force an election, the petition must be signed by at least 257 eligible electors who live in District 2. That number represents 10% of the votes cast in the 2024 general election in the county, divided by three to reflect the number of supervisor districts.

The petition can either be filed at the Auditor’s Office within 14 days of the notice’s publication, or within 14 days after the appointment is made and after the selection is known.
If a special election is called, it must be held on a Tuesday “at the earliest practicable date,” but there must be at least 32 days notice before it is held.
If a special election is called, the three county officials will make an interim appointment to serve until the election tales place and the winner is sworn into office.
The process mirrors one used in 2022, when a vacancy in District 3 was filled by appointment after the elected candidate declined to take office. Jim Jorgensen of Rudd was chosen from two applicants. Assink and Holm were also part of that selection, along with then-Auditor Gloria Carr, who now serves on the Board of Supervisors.
Floyd County has used supervisor districts since 2021, when voters approved switching to what the state calls “Plan Three.” Supervisors are now elected by voters within each district and must reside in the district they represent.
When the districts were formed they were all very close in population size, as required by law, but not in area covered. District 2 – the one with the vacancy – includes Charles City precincts 2 and 3, north of the Cedar River, plus the part of St. Charles Township north of Charles City. It is the smallest and most “urban” of the three districts.
Supervisor District 1 includes more than half of the southern part of Floyd County, with the Ulster, Scott, Union, Pleasant Grove and Riverton townships, and the southern part of of St. Charles township, along with Charles City Precinct 1, which is all of the incorporated city south of the Cedar River.
Supervisor District 3 includes most of the northern part of the county, with the Rockford, Rock Grove, Rudd, Floyd, Cedar and Niles townships.
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