Iowa voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5 to take part in the newly-combined city and school board election.

The joint elections are due to new election laws passed by the Iowa Senate in 2017.  The two elections were combined in an effort to boost voter participation while reducing taxpayer costs.

The special combined election will only take place in odd-numbered years.

Voting in Hamilton County contests will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5 with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.   Due to the election changes, rural voters in southeast Hardin and northeast Story counties will also vote at Hamilton County polling places for their respective school districts.

Candidates for city offices in the communities of Blairsburg, Ellsworth, Jewell, Kamrar, Randall, Stanhope, Stratford, Webster City and Williams will be decided.  Also on the ballot are open seats for the Fred M. Fuller Estate and seats for two seats on the Kendall Young Board.

School board candidates for South Hamilton, Stratford, Webster City, Roland-Story and Hubbard-Radcliffe districts are also on the ballot.  Candidates for the Iowa Central Community College Director District #8 and #9, candidates for the Iowa Valley Community College Director District #2 and the Des Moines Community College Director District #1 are on the ballot.

Voters in the Iowa Valley Community College Merged Area VI will be asked to decide on a bond issue for improvements, remodeling, repair and construction of college buildings at several locations throughout the district.

The charter for the reorganization of the Webster City School District and the Northeast Hamilton School District which took effect on July 1, 2019, calls for three directors to be elected from three districts and also allows for two At-Large directors to be elected.  Directors from specific districts must be residents of those districts but the At-Large directors can live anywhere within the entire school district.  School district voters cast ballots for all members of the board who serve for staggered terms.  

This year, the Webster City Director District #2 seat is up for election and one At-Large Director District seat is open due to the retirement of Chuck Bonjour, one of the At-Large Directors.

Voters in the Webster City Consolidated School District will also be asked to vote on a physical plant and equipment property tax not to exceed $0.77 per $1,000 of assessed valuation of taxable property to commence in the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2020.

Polling sites include:

Precinct 1 – City of Kamrar, Cass, Freedom, Fremont, Independence townships will vote at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1229 Kathy Lane, Webster City

Precinct 2 – City of Blairsburg, City of Williams, Blairsburg, Liberty, Williams townships will vote at Blairsburg City Hall, 516 Lake Street, Blairsburg

Precinct 3 – City of Stanhope, Clear Lake, Hamilton, Marion, Webster townships will vote at Stanhope Community Center, 600 Main, St., Stanhope

Precinct 4 – City of Jewell, City of Randall, Ellsworth and Lyon townships will vote at South Hamilton High School, 315 Division St., Jewell

Precinct 5 – City of Ellsworth, Lincoln, Rose Grove and Scott townships will vote at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1629 Dewitt, St., Ellsworth

Webster City 1 – vote at Webster City Fire Station, 919 Superior St., Webster City

Webster City 2 – vote at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1005 Beach Street, Webster City

Webster City 3 – vote at First Baptist Church, 543 Division St., Webster City

Tomorrow: The candidates for Webster City School board speak about why they are running for office.