Election time is approaching and in Hamilton County, a number of key positions will require voters to cast ballots in November.

City elections will be held in all Hamilton County cities on November 7, according to the Hamilton County Auditor’s Office.

“The following offices will appear on the ballot in the respective cities; however, these are not necessarily final because vacancies occurring on or before Saturday, September 21, 2023, must be filled at the November 7, 2023 City Election.

Here are the offices and their incumbents:

Blairsburg:

Mayor Troy V. Hassebrock

Council Member Shirley Nelson

Council Member Alex Pruismann

Council Member Vicki Jean Sturtevant

Ellsworth

Mayor Dolorus Yager

Council Member Kalib King

Council Member Marv Norem

Council Member William Funk

Jewell

Mayor Leo J. Reiter

Council Member Susan Cooke Lorenzen

Council Member Chris Roethler

Kamrar

Mayor Jeanette Tempel

Council Member Jason Moon

Council Member Amy Pigsley

Council Member — To fill a vacancy/vacant 11/2023 – 12/31/2025

Randall

Mayor Gregg Wright

Council Member Carlene Auestad

Council Member Cindy Stull

Stanhope

Mayor Jeff Schroeder

Council Member Vickie Anderson

Council Member Beau Jensen

Council Member — Vacant

Stratford

Mayor — To fill a vacancy/vacant 11/2023 – 12/3120/25

Council Member Howard Buie

Council Member Carol Bergman

Council Member — To fill a vacancy/Catherine Bergman 11/2023-12/31/2025

Webster City

Council Member Abbie Hansen

Council Member Megan McFarland

Fred M. Fuller Board of Trustees

1/1/24-12/31/28

Mary Fortune

Fred M. Fuller Board of Trustees

1/1/24-12/31/28

Ann E. Kness

Kendall Young Library Board of Trustees

1/1/24 – 12/31/28

Crystal Gordon

Kendall Young Library Board of Trustees

1/1/25 – 12/31/29

Heidi Barrick

Kendall Young Library Board of Trustees

1/1/25 – 12/31/29

Gayette Grimm

Williams

Mayor Jessica Hiemstra

Council Member Corey Hassebrock

Council Member Jacob Schutt

Council Member — To fill a vacancy/John Fowler 11/2023-12/31/2025

If you are interested in running for an eligible office, the necessary papers can be obtained from a City Clerk or the Hamilton County Auditor’s Office.

Those election materials are also available on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website: http://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/cityelections.html

To become a candidate for a city office, the office seeker must be an eligible elector in the city at the time of filing nomination papers and at the time of the election. An eligible elector is defined as a person who meets all the qualifications to register to vote, whether or not the person is registered.

You will need to gather signatures to run because candidates are nominated by petition. The minimum number of signatures is based on the population of the city. “It is always wise to file more than the minimum number of signatures,” the Auditor’s Office cautions.

Here are the numbers of signatures required:

In Webster City: 50

In all other Hamilton County cities: 10

Nomination papers can be filed as early as Monday, August 28.

The latest they can be filed is Thursday, September 21, no later than 5 p.m.

Nomination papers must be filed with the town’s City Clerk during the above filing period.

There are also school elections that will be held in Hamilton County on November 7.

The following offices will appear on the ballot in the respective school districts. Again, these are not necessarily final because vacancies occurring on or before Saturday, September 21, must be filled at the November 7 School Election.

South Hamilton Community School District (Due to redistricting the terms/incumbent/districts have changed.

Director District 1 — Tony Babcock 11/2023 – 11/2025

Director District 2 — Joely Swenson

Director District 3 — Leigh Miller

At Large — Joely Swenson

Stratford Community School District

STRATFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

At Large — Christina Bauer

At Large — Brad Westrum

Webster City Community School District

Director District 2 — Beth Van Diest

At Large — Sally Greenfield

Nomination papers for school board positions can be obtained from the district’s school board secretary, the Hamilton County Auditor’s Office or the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/electioninfo/schoolelections.html

A candidate for school offices must be an eligible elector in the school district and director district (if any) at the time of the election. As with a city office, an eligible elector must meet all of the requirements to register to vote, whether or not the person is registered.

The filing period begins Monday, August 28, and ends Thursday, September 21, no later than 5 p.m. Nomination papers must be filed with the school secretary during this time.