Special Election: Johnson County Board of Supervisors
The second post I intended to write last night was about the special election here in Johnson County, which has been overshadowed by all the mudslinging to the north of us.
Today, voters will elect Sally Stutsman’s replacement on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. Stutsman resigned from the Board after being elected to the Iowa House in November. Turnout will likely be low due to a lack of interest and the fresh powder on the streets. Plus, only two candidates are vying for the position: Terry L. Dahms, a Democrat, and John Etheredge, a Republican.
Etheredge, you may remember, ran an unsuccessful bid for the Board last November. Not only was he running against three incumbents, he was woefully reluctant to convey his thoughts to voters. Why vote for a guy when you have no clue who he is or what he thinks? This time he is better prepared: he has a fairly informative website complete with bio information, “Core Beliefs,” a short political agenda, and the customary candidate photo complete with a suit and Old Glory lapel pin. His site, though, lacks specifics regarding the customary hot button issues in the county. Etheredge is essentially a life-long resident of rural Johnson County, a credential he is leaning hard on. And I think he is apt to do so, especially since the Board is dominated by “in town” representatives. According to his contact address, Etheredge lives off Highway 1 between Iowa City and Kalona.
Based on his website, Dahms seems to be a moderate Democrat. He supports the jail expansion, advocates fiscal common sense, sustainable development, and better environmental stewardship. His candidate portrait: white shirt, bowtie (which offers a “playful though serious” touch that the more common necktie lacks), and blue background.
According to Dahms’ contact address, he lives off of Newport Road just beyond the Prairie du Chien split. I read somewhere that Dahms is portraying himself as a representative of rural Johnson County, and this brings up a certain point: there always seems to be a debate about the definition of “rural” in these Board elections. I suppose Dahms lives in unincorporated Newport, but is it rural? Are the collection of acreages and subdivisions on the undeveloped fringes of Iowa City “rural”? By definition I think they are; they are part of the countryside. However, there is a big difference between those little developments and family farms. Who is a better representative of “rural” Johnson County: someone who lives in a country subdivision and probably works in Iowa City, or a full-time farmer with 500 acres?
This brings up another point. According to the 2010 census, the population of Johnson County was 130,882. How many county supervisors are there: five. They are all at-large representatives, too, which means there are no districts. I get the feeling that the Board does a poor jobs of representing the county as a whole and think it would be better to have both at-large representatives and those from districts. That would, I think, ease rural-urban tensions and give those in the countryside better representation.
Anyway. Though I like the fact Etheredge is a fellow Millennial (he apparently plays ultimate), I do not think I can vote for him or Dahms. I cannot support Democrats and Republicans. I think I may write-in one of my dad’s former co-workers (who lives on a farm near Lone Tree).
Today, voters will elect Sally Stutsman’s replacement on the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. Stutsman resigned from the Board after being elected to the Iowa House in November. Turnout will likely be low due to a lack of interest and the fresh powder on the streets. Plus, only two candidates are vying for the position: Terry L. Dahms, a Democrat, and John Etheredge, a Republican.
Etheredge, you may remember, ran an unsuccessful bid for the Board last November. Not only was he running against three incumbents, he was woefully reluctant to convey his thoughts to voters. Why vote for a guy when you have no clue who he is or what he thinks? This time he is better prepared: he has a fairly informative website complete with bio information, “Core Beliefs,” a short political agenda, and the customary candidate photo complete with a suit and Old Glory lapel pin. His site, though, lacks specifics regarding the customary hot button issues in the county. Etheredge is essentially a life-long resident of rural Johnson County, a credential he is leaning hard on. And I think he is apt to do so, especially since the Board is dominated by “in town” representatives. According to his contact address, Etheredge lives off Highway 1 between Iowa City and Kalona.
Based on his website, Dahms seems to be a moderate Democrat. He supports the jail expansion, advocates fiscal common sense, sustainable development, and better environmental stewardship. His candidate portrait: white shirt, bowtie (which offers a “playful though serious” touch that the more common necktie lacks), and blue background.
According to Dahms’ contact address, he lives off of Newport Road just beyond the Prairie du Chien split. I read somewhere that Dahms is portraying himself as a representative of rural Johnson County, and this brings up a certain point: there always seems to be a debate about the definition of “rural” in these Board elections. I suppose Dahms lives in unincorporated Newport, but is it rural? Are the collection of acreages and subdivisions on the undeveloped fringes of Iowa City “rural”? By definition I think they are; they are part of the countryside. However, there is a big difference between those little developments and family farms. Who is a better representative of “rural” Johnson County: someone who lives in a country subdivision and probably works in Iowa City, or a full-time farmer with 500 acres?
This brings up another point. According to the 2010 census, the population of Johnson County was 130,882. How many county supervisors are there: five. They are all at-large representatives, too, which means there are no districts. I get the feeling that the Board does a poor jobs of representing the county as a whole and think it would be better to have both at-large representatives and those from districts. That would, I think, ease rural-urban tensions and give those in the countryside better representation.
Anyway. Though I like the fact Etheredge is a fellow Millennial (he apparently plays ultimate), I do not think I can vote for him or Dahms. I cannot support Democrats and Republicans. I think I may write-in one of my dad’s former co-workers (who lives on a farm near Lone Tree).
