Irene Wonderling, 48, said she tries to vote in local elections when she can. This year, she was motivated in part by the school bond referendum on the ballot. Wonderling said she voted “yes” for the bond because she would like to see improvements for Cleveland Elementary School, which both of her children attended, and Roosevelt Middle School, where her daughter went last year.

“It would be good for them to get something updated and new. And I know a lot of the schools here are older,” she said.

Wonderling said she heard about the referendum from other parents and from the materials the schools sent her. Sometimes, she said, voting can be a challenge because she doesn’t have the time to do research before she heads to the polls.

“I appreciate the idea of being able to vote,” Wonderling said. “I struggle sometimes with some of the subjects and some of the candidates because I don’t always get a lot of information.”

Voters support community partnerships, vote “yes” on Local Option Sales Tax

Susan Nicol, 64, said the need to vote “yes” 1% Local Option Sales Tax is what brought her out to the polls.

“I wish the percentages were allocated differently, but I voted for it because of the infrastructure, because of the intergovernmental stuff to support partnerships and arts,” said Nicol.

Nicol said the 50% of Local Option Sales Tax revenue required by state law to be put toward property tax relief was not a factor in her decision to support the measure.

Nicol said she also came out to the polls to vote for Amy Hospodarsky for the District B seat. She decided to vote for Hospodarsky after conversations with neighbors who supported her.

Nicol also said this was the quickest voting experience she’s ever had.

Iowa City voters vote “yes” on Local Option Sales Tax, citing need for city services

Carol French Johnson and Charles Johnson, both retired, always like to vote on election day as a way to participate in the democratic process.

Both Carol and Charles said they voted “yes” on the 1% Local Option Sales Tax.

“We believe in in better services for for our city and for our county. And we love being here.... but great services cost money,” said Carol, 79, on voting “yes.”

The two are originally from Florida, but moved to Iowa City to be closer to family and for what the city had to offer. The pair specifically mentioned the Iowa City Public Library as one of their favorite city amenities.

“We realize it comes out of our pocket, at least to some degree so, but we're supportive,” said Charles, 75, on voting “yes” for the local option sales tax.

Charles said the voting experience at St. Patrick’s Church was seamless and the poll workers were “amazing.”

Both individuals said they voted in the school board and city council races but declined to share who they voted for.

John Wagner, 71, voted against the Cedar Rapids school bond referendum Tuesday, casting his ballot at the Northwest Recreation Center. 

"I don't like the plan to have all these students massed in one place," Wagner said. "There's so much money being spent on buildings and there needs to be more money spent on the children and more emphasis on discipline."

"The kids aren't learning well enough in my opinion. Putting a big building around it is not going to make it any better," said Wagner, who retired four years ago from almost a decade of driving a school bus for the College Community School District.   

He voted for Marcy Roundtree, Scott Drzycimski and Jennifer Borcherding for Cedar Rapids school board. 

"We got to div out how to make it, so students can be successful, and they're not successful now," Wagner said. 

Jane Walter, 77, voted "yes" for the Cedar Rapids school bond referendum Tuesday at the Northwest Recreation Center in Cedar Rapids. 

"The schools need improvements," Walter said. "I'd rather see these schools improved than build big, beautiful, new buildings that take so much more money. It's sensible."

Walter said her grandsons are in Cedar Rapids schools, and the buildings are "disgraceful."

Walter said she did not vote for the 2023 school bond referendum -- which failed voter approval -- that would have supported different facility projects. 

"No one I talked to felt comfortable with it. This one is specific. It names the schools and what needs to be done. I just felt there's no other way except to vote 'yes' on this," Walter said. 

As for school board candidates, Walter voted for Laura Zimmerman, Scott Drzycimski and Jennifer Borcherding. 

"I looked up every single one of them. I looked up their pictures, where they're from. I like locally born and raised and graduated from our schools. I want to make sure our school board is looking out for parents," Walter said. 

For Cedar Rapids mayor, Walter said, "Tiffany all the way."

"She's done a lot for the city, and I like what she's talking about for the future," Walter said. 

 

Iowa City Council races, Local Option Sales Tax draw interest from voters

Patrick Hopson, 36, said he always makes an effort to vote on election day.

In the Iowa City Council election Hopson said he felt Iowa City was progressing in the “wrong way” and wanted to see some fresh faces on the council.

The Director of Sales said he voted for Clara Reynen in the at-large race and Amy Hospodarsky for the District B seat. He came to that decision through each of the candidates efforts campaigning in his neighborhood.

In the school board race, Hopson said he voted for Jayne Finch. He also voted “yes” on the 1% local option sales tax, citing the percentage of revenue put toward affordable housing, city infrastructure and nonprofit partnerships.

“The programs seemed really decent and that it would benefit Iowa City positively. And sales tax is usually, a really small percentage, and the dollars are already crucified anyways, with other taxes, so I was like, why not just a little bit more?” said Hopson on why he voted “yes.”

Stephanie Deal, 41, went out to the polls Tuesday to vote for Scott Drzycimski for Cedar Rapids school board. She said she's gotten to know him over the years as their children have been in school together 

Drzycimski has a "passion for the growth of our schools and keeping our kids in the district... and using our experiences as parents to make a difference in the community," Deal said from her precinct at the Northwest Recreation Center in Cedar Rapids  

Deal's two youngest children -- 17 and 11 years old -- are enrolled in Xavier Catholic Schools, a decision the family made a few years ago because of bullying they experienced in the public school system. 

She would "love" to put her kids back in public school someday, but improvements are needed, Deal said. 

"I don't want to blame the staff because it's not their fault, but the parameters in place to help victims of bullying don't support the victims," Deal said. "It just wasn't a safe environment."

Even though her kids are no longer in the Cedar Rapids public school system, Deal voted "yes" on the school bond referendum. 

"We need to continue to support our schools and maintain buildings for these kids to go to. If we continue to take things away from the school, it just makes it harder for teachers, staff and kids," Deal said. 

Local Option Sales Tax brings Iowa City voters to the polls

Pete Robinson, 80, said he views voting as an essential part of his role as a citizen.

The retired Iowa City resident came out to vote at St. Patrick Church on the east side of the city. Robinson said he voted “yes” on the 1% local option sales tax.

“Municipalities are in trouble for funds to do normal things that municipalities do. It's largely because of state of Iowa policies and tax policies,” said Robinson on why he voted “yes”.

Robinson said he also voted in both the Iowa City Community School District school board race and the city council race but declined to share who he voted for.

Sam and Sue Benjamin voted "yes" for the school bond referendum at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church.

"Schools need all the help they can get," said Sam, 72. 
Sam said it's important to him that the bond goes toward modernizing historic schools rather than new construction. 
"Children are our future. I used to work for the school system... I've been gone since 2002, but I know the importance of good facilities and adequate support over and above for our kids," said Sue, 68. 

Mary Beth McGuire, 67, of Cedar Rapids, said she always votes. 
She cast her ballot at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church late Tuesday morning voting in favor of the school bond referendum, said McGuire, retired from the Cedar Rapids Public Library. 
"Our schools need help. I can't believe Kennedy (High School) doesn't have a dishwasher," McGuire said. 
McGuire also mentioned the importance of the bond funding projects that would bring schools into compliance with the ADA standards. 
"It's a sad commentary on our society when a school can't accommodate," she said. 

On Cedar Rapids school bond, voter says 'You have to keep things up to date'

CEDAR RAPIDS — For 84-year-old retiree Mimi Welty, voting is simply a civic duty. She cast her ballot Tuesday at the Ladd Library polling site on Williams Boulevard SW in Cedar Rapids, saying she makes it a point to vote “every time there’s any issue or anything to vote on.”

Welty said both the school board race and the school bond referendum were important to her this election. She followed coverage of the candidates and proposals through the local newspaper and television news, using those sources to guide her decisions. “I read in the paper the different things that the people said about the school board and kind of decided from that,” she said.

She voted yes on the bond referendum, noting that while the property tax impact concerns her as someone on a fixed income, she believes the upgrades are overdue. “I’m not happy about the property tax impact,” Welty said. “But I feel like it’s important that the schools be accommodating to people with disabilities and have good access. You have to keep things up to date.”

Welty said she voted no on the previous bond proposal, feeling it lacked clarity. This time, however, she said district leaders did a better job explaining their plans. “Last time, I didn’t think they were that clear about what they were going to do,” she said. “I thought they did a better job this time of explaining what they were going to use it for.”

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School board, school bond draw Cedar Rapids voter to the polls

CEDAR RAPIDS — Daniel Hunter, a 34-year-old software developer from Cedar Rapids, stopped by the IBEW Local 405 Union Hall on Tuesday morning to cast his ballot in the city and school elections. Like several other voters, Hunter said he was motivated by the Cedar Rapids school board race — in particular, to support his friend and candidate David Chung.

Hunter described Chung as “a very smart and dedicated individual” who understands the district from experience, having had several children attend local schools. He said Chung’s familiarity with the system’s strengths and weaknesses, coupled with a fresh perspective, made him a strong choice. “It’s important to keep those positions not static,” Hunter said. “Fresh faces, fresh ideas are necessary — even if some ideas don’t work out, it’s better than running on ones that are 30 years out of date.”

In addition to supporting Chung, Hunter said he voted to reelect the city’s current mayor, believing another term was needed to see ongoing projects through. He also backed the school bond referendum, saying he felt more confident in the district’s refined plan this time around. “The previous version didn’t have enough of a plan in place,” he said. “This one actually seemed to have some thought into what the money was going to be used for.”

Hunter said he’s been feeling more motivated to get involved in local politics. “Too many people are just kind of coasting,” he said. “I’m somewhat guilty of that, but I wanted to make sure I came out and voted this time.”
 

Cedar Rapids — Andrew Staab, a 40-year-old engineer from Cedar Rapids, was among the early voters casting ballots Tuesday morning at the IBEW Local 405 Union Hall on Wiley Boulevard SW. Staab said he came out primarily to support a friend, David Chung, who is running for the Cedar Rapids school board.

Staab said he values Chung’s “Christian values” and hopes to see those reflected more strongly in the district’s leadership. “I appreciate the Christian values that he has and that he represents,” Staab said, adding that he wants to help “influence the school board in that way.”

He said he and his wife made their voting decisions after briefly reviewing the candidates together in recent days. “We looked at the candidates and just sort of looked at things real quickly,” he said, acknowledging he didn’t spend a lot of time researching the election or the bond referendum appearing on the ballot.

Staab said concerns about cultural shifts — including issues related to gender identity — factored into his thinking. “I see ideas that are destructive toward the family values that I have,” he said. “So I kind of wanted to push back against those sorts of ideas.”

I'm Fern Alling, The Gazette's new healthcare reporter. I'll be contributing to our live election blog on November 4. 

Looking for information about this election? Check out our Voter Guide with sample ballots, candidate profiles and additional resources to keep you informed this election.