Four of five council member positions will be on the ballot during a special election in Lorimor September 15, Union County Auditor and Elections Commissioner Sandy Hysell said during the Union County Supervisors’ weekly meeting Monday at the courthouse.
Currently two council members are in place, with one of them having been appointed to fill a vacancy. According to state law, an appointee to an elected position must be placed on the ballot during the next election.
Council member Merrill Cornelison’s term expires in 2021.
Suzy Weibel, who was appointed, will run for one of the two “fill vacancy” positions, which have a one-year term. Two of the open positions will have the regular three-year terms. Lorimor city clerk Doris Loy said there have been four applications received.
Union County Supervisor Dennis Brown asked how the city of Lorimor could conduct business with only two council members. Hysell replied the council has contacted the League of Cities and been advised they needed to continue to do essential business such as paying bills.
Loy said without a functioning city council the town may end up unincorporated.
“I hope it never does that,” she said.
Residents of Lorimor who are interested in running for city council should contact Loy at 641-763-2297. The deadline is Aug. 21.
In other election news:
• Hysell said Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate will once again mail out absentee ballot request forms to all registered voters in the state in advance of the November general election.
• Pleasant Township trustees and clerk requested a measure be placed on the ballot to appoint rather than elect the trustees and clerk for the township. Hysell cited difficulties with those elected rejecting the position and said Pleasant is the only township in Union County that elects its trustees. A similar measure did not pass during the last election.