Special Election to Fill Trelka Supervisor Vacancy
An election will be held on January 28, 2025, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Black Hawk County Supervisor Dan Trelka.
Trelka left the board of supervisors to become chief of police in Leadville, Colorado. Iowa law requires that the position be filled by action of a committee consisting of three other county elected officials: the auditor, recorder and treasurer. The three officers are charged with deciding whether to appoint a replacement or to call for a special election. If the committee decides to appoint, a petition may be filed to cause an election instead.
In a meeting of the committee held on November 27 County Treasurer Lynda Hintzman, County Recorder Sandie Smith and County Auditor Grant Veeder voted to call an election. They said that an appointment would require taking applications and conducting public interviews and choosing from a large number of qualified candidates, which could still result in a petition requiring an election.
The law says such an election must be held at the earliest practicable date but giving at least 32 days’ notice. Practical considerations include giving political parties time to hold conventions to nominate candidates. Nominations by parties and petitions from independent candidates must be filed with the county auditor at least 25 days before the election. An independent candidate would need a petition signed by 100 eligible Black Hawk County voters. “Third-party” organizations may hold conventions and nominate candidates under provisions of the law that specify the number of convention attendees and the minimum number of county voting precincts represented.
The committee discussed election dates with Karen Showalter, the county elections manager who was elected November 5 to succeed the retiring Veeder as auditor. With the selection of January 28, the deadline for filing nomination papers will be January 3.
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