Primary Election scheduled for June 2 for county, state and federal officials

Tuesday, June 2 will be the Primary Election to determine which candidates will be representing their respective political parties in the 2026 General Election in November. An election notice listing the respective races in each of the Republican and Democratic parties was published in last week’s (May 20) edition of this newspaper (Page 24), listing races at the federal, state and county levels of government for voters to make their selections in, along with additional ballot and election information.
In-person absentee voting for this year’s Primary Election began Wednesday, May 13 and lasts through Monday, June 1 in the Auditor’s Office at the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday each week. Polling locations for the June 2 Primary Election Day will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. and are listed as follows:
Precinct 1 - Waterloo and Hanover Townships - St. Mary’s Church, 490 Waterloo Creek Drive, Dorchester
Precinct 2 - French Creek, Jefferson, Ludlow, Makee and Union Prairie Townships - First Baptist Church, 614 Rossville Road, Waukon
Precinct 3 - Post and Franklin Townships and City of Postville - Memorial Hall (Turner Hall), 119 East Greene Street, Postville
Precinct 4 - Paint Creek and Linton Townships and City of Waterville - Waterville School Community Center, 115 Main Street, Waterville
Precinct 5 - Fairview and Taylor Townships and City of Harpers Ferry - Harpers Ferry Community Center, 238 North 4th Street, Harpers Ferry
Precinct 6 - Center, Lafayette and Lansing Townships and City of Lansing - Immaculate Conception Church, 648 Main Street, Lansing
Precinct 7 - Union City and Iowa Townships and City of New Albin - New Albin Community Center, 137 Railroad Avenue SW, New Albin 
Precinct 8 - Waukon Ward 1 - NICC Center-Room 109 - 1220 3rd Avenue NW, Waukon
Precinct 9 - Waukon Ward 2 - St. John’s Lutheran Church, 8 5th Street SW, Waukon
Precinct 10 - Waukon Ward 3 - Allamakee County Courthouse, 110 Allamakee Street, Waukon

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PRIMARY
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors race on this year’s Republican ballot provides the only local level office that features a contested race, as three such candidates will be listed for two seats being vacated on the board. Current board members Dan Byrnes and Dennis Keatley are not seeking re-election in this year’s election cycle. This year’s Democratic Primary ballot has just one candidate listed for the position of Allamakee County Board of Supervisor, Jim Pladsen of Waukon, who is running unopposed in this year’s Primary Election.
The Republican Primary ballot has three candidates listed who are vying for nomination to this year’s General Election ballot in November, with two of those candidates eligible to be nominated since there are two seats on the board up for election this year. Those Republican candidates include Joe Manning of Lansing, and Andrew Sires and Pat Stone, both of Waukon. The top two vote recipients in that Republican Primary race will earn nomination to the General Election ballot in November, where they will then square off against Pladsen.

OTHER COUNTY OFFICES
Additionally at the county level of government there are three other offices up for re-election this year, including the offices of Treasurer, Recorder and Attorney. The Democratic Primary ballot has no candidates listed for any of those offices. On the Republican Primary ballot, incumbent Nicki Smedsrud is seeking re-election to her Treasurer position and incumbent Anthony Gericke is doing likewise to his County Attorney position.
Although voters may notice that neither the Democratic nor Republican ballots in this year’s Primary Election have a candidate listed for the County Recorder’s race, current Allamakee County Recorder Karen Mathis has indicated that she will be seeking re-election without a political party affiliation in the General Election in November. Mathis has already filed the required Nomination Petition for Non-Partisan Office paperwork, with her choice of no party affiliation meaning she is not required to be on any Primary Election ballot but the filing of her non-partisan nomination petition guaranteeing that she will be on the General Election ballot in November.

MANY STATE RACES
Seven State of Iowa offices are up for election this year, with every one of those races having at least one candidate on each of the Democratic and Republican Primary Election ballots. The most localized of those State races will be in the House of Representatives in District 64 that covers all of Allamakee and Clayton Counties and a single northern township of Dubuque County, where incumbent Jason Gearhart is listed on the Republican Primary Ballot and Brian Bruening is listed on the Democratic Primary ballot, with both running unopposed in their Primary Election bids.
The State of Iowa’s highest governing office will be occupied by someone new after this year’s General Election, as Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has opted not to seek re-election. Rob Sand is the lone candidate listed on the Democratic Primary ballot for the office of Governor, while the Republican ballot has five candidates, including Eddie Andrews, Randy Feenstra, Zach Lahn, Brad Sherman and Adam Steen.
The only other contested race on this year’s Primary ballots at the State of Iowa level is on the Republican ballot for Auditor of State, where Chris Cournoyer and Abigail Maas are each vying for the Republican nomination to the General Election. The Democratic Primary ballot has only Taylor Wettach listed as a candidate for Auditor of State.
The remaining four State-level offices on this year’s Primary ballots all have just a single candidate on each of the Democratic and Republican ballots. Incumbent Secretary of State Paul Pate is seeking to be re-elected on the Republican ballot, while Ryan Peterman is seeking the Democratic nomination for that Secretary of State office.
Similarly, incumbent Treasurer of State Roby Smith is on the Republican ballot, with John Norwood listed on the Democratic ballot. The Secretary of Agriculture office has incumbent Mike Naig on the Republican ballot and Chris Jones listed on the Democratic ballot for this year’s Primary Election, and the office of Attorney General also has incumbent Brenna Bird on the Republican ballot and Nate Willems listed on the Democratic Primary ballot.

FEDERAL RACES
Both offices at the Federal level of government for Allamakee County voters on this year’s Primary ballots have multiple candidates listed on each party’s ballot. Iowa’s District 2 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is the most congested, as the Democratic Primary ballot has three candidates listed, Kathy Dolter, Lindsay James and Clint Twedt-Ball, with the Republican ballot featuring two candidates in Charlie McClintock and Joe Mitchell.
The race for U.S. Senator on this year’s ballot to fill the vacancy left by Joni Ernst not seeking re-election has two candidates on each of the political party ballots. The Democratic ballot lists Josh Turek and Zach Wahls as candidates, and the Republican ballot lists Jim Carlin and Ashley Hinson, who is seeking to switch to the U.S. Senate from her current District 2 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
For the Primary Election, voters must declare themselves either as Republican or Democrat in order to be able to vote in the election, and will then mark their choices on the appropriate party ballot. For additional information about the June 2 Primary Election, visit the Allamakee County Election website at https://allamakeecountyelections.iowa.gov or call the Allamakee County Auditor’s Office at 563-568-3522.