Registered voters in Spring Creek and Crystal townships cast their ballots at the Gladbrook Memorial Building on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Voters in both Gladbrook and Traer (Perry Township) were responsible for electing the first woman to the Tama County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday night – Republican Heather Knebel who was running unopposed for the District 3 seat. More than 1,600 people cast their ballots for Knebel in the race. Beginning in January, the Tama County Board of Supervisors – currently represented by two Republicans and a Democrat – will be firmly in GOP control. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TOLEDO – History was made in Tama County this past Tuesday evening when voters elected a woman to the board of supervisors for the first time ever.

Running unopposed on the Nov. 5 general election ballot for Tama County Supervisor District 3, Heather Knebel, a 35-year-old Republican from rural Traer, sailed to victory in her race with 1,645 votes.

When contacted Tuesday evening for comment, Supervisor-elect Knebel was overjoyed but remained humble in her response.

“Thank you so much to everyone that supported me this last year during my campaign!” Knebel said in a statement to the newspaper. “Between the kind words, donations, putting out signs, and getting out to vote. I am forever grateful. I thank God for this opportunity. I’m excited for January so I can get to work representing the people! Thank you all!!”

Knebel’s district includes the communities of Gladbrook and Traer while encompassing the townships of Spring Creek, Crystal, and Perry plus parts of far northern Carlton (excluding Garwin) and Howard. The seat is a two-year term.

Tama County Supervisor-elect Heather Knebel.

During the June 4 primary election, Knebel defeated Republicans Eli Hoskey of Toledo and Robert ‘Bob’ Vokoun of Gladbrook for her party’s nomination with 64.4% of the vote. With no Democratic candidate on the ballot in either the primary or general, Knebel all but ensured a trailblazing result on Tuesday.

Forty-seven years ago, Republican Jean Kruse of Traer became the first woman to serve on the Tama County Board of Supervisors after she was appointed to fill a vacancy resulting from the unexpected passing on Oct. 11, 1977, of then-District 1 Supervisor Robert Cold.

At the time of her appointment, Kruse was a 36-year-old mother and small business owner. Kruse endorsed Knebel – also a young mother and small business owner – in her own District 3 race ahead of the June primary this year.

District 3 is one of five new Tama County supervisor seats. During the November 2022 midterm election, voters overwhelmingly passed a public measure to move the county from a three-member board to a five-member board – a form of government the county has not utilized since 1934. The public measure was placed on the Nov. 2022 ballot as a result of a petition drive organized by members of Tama County Against Turbines (TCAT).

Elsewhere in the county Tuesday evening, Republican incumbent Curt Hilmer of Dysart was reelected to District 1 for a second term after running unopposed; Republican David Turner of Tama, also running unopposed, was elected to District 2; Republican Mark Doland of rural Toledo narrowly beat Democrat Berleen Wobeter of rural Toledo by 43 votes in a bruising race for the District 4 seat; and Republican Curt Kupka of Chelsea handily beat Democrat Bruce Lenhart of rural Tama for the District 5 seat.

Tama County Supervisor-elect Mark Doland.

While Doland did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment in time for publication, Wobeter provided the following statement to the newspaper.

“When I picked up my nomination papers for the June primary I was uncertain of what was to come but willing to meet the challenge,” Wobeter wrote in an email. “It is disappointing to lose by so few votes but I have absolutely no regrets and have been given so much more than the numbers indicate. Campaigning means stepping out in unfamiliar ways with the rich reward of new relationships. Friends and family supported my efforts in ways I didn’t anticipate but so gratefully acknowledge. ‘You don’t know your community until you see who opens the door’ is my treasured new slogan. And my forever and always ‘nice’ husband was my rock.”

While Wobeter did not rule out running again and/or attending future board of supervisor meetings, she said she is currently unsure of the path ahead following defeat.

“I am undecided about what my next steps might be but am considering continuing to visit folks in our community as a volunteer or offer to be a much needed ocassional ambulance driver. I think it might also be valuable to observe how various promises made by supervisor candidates play out in the Boardroom. There are bound to be some interesting new dynamics and even potential expensive litigation should certain decisions be made. Hopefully work will proceed with respect and dedication.”

Tama County’s general election canvass is set for 8:30 a.m. in the Tama County Board of Supervisors chambers on both Wednesday, Nov. 13 (Tier 1), and Tuesday, Nov. 19 (Tier 2). Plans are to swear in the new five-member board during the last week of December, according to Tama County Auditor Laura Kopsa.

Election workers at the Garwin Community Building including (l-r) Vicky Podhajsky, William ‘Scott’ Bindon, and precinct chair Steph DeSchamp pause for a photo on Tuesday during a brief lull in activity. DeSchamp said the polling site saw brisk turnout this election with voters motivated by not only the presidential race but also the county’s EMS vote and GMG’s bond referendum. A recent barn fire northwest of Garwin was an “eye-opener for people,” DeSchamp further explained, fueling the town’s nearly 78% support of the public measure to fund EMS as an essential service. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Also on Tuesday, Republican Karen Rohrs of Toledo – the county’s deputy auditor/elections administrator – won her race for Tama County Auditor after running unopposed, while Republican Casey Schmidt of Dysart – also running unopposed – won his race for Tama County Sheriff. Schmidt previously breezed to victory during the June 4 primary by taking nearly 54% of the vote share in a three-way race against detectives Lucas Dvorak of Gladbrook and Trevor Killian of Toledo. Rohrs will replace retiring Auditor Laura Kopsa (D-Tama), while Schmidt replaces retiring Sheriff Dennis Kucera (R-Traer).

Tama County now a red wall in Iowa Assembly

In the race for Iowa Senate District 38 – an urban-rural district spanning parts of three counties and including the communities of Traer, Dysart, and La Porte City – incumbent Democratic Sen. Eric Giddens of Cedar Falls lost his reelection to a second full term to Republican Dave Sires, also of Cedar Falls, by a mere 395 votes. With Giddens’ loss, Tama County is now solely represented by Republicans in the Iowa Assembly.

Early Wednesday morning, Sires commented on his win via Facebook: “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude tonight. Thank you to the voters of Black Hawk, Tama, and Benton Counties. I won’t let you down!”

Shortly thereafter, Sen. Giddens also addressed the outcome of the election while congratulating Sires on his victory.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“Well friends, we came up short tonight,” Giddens wrote on Facebook just after 1 a.m. Wednesday. “Congratulations to Dave Sires on his victory, and I wish him all the best as our next State Senator. It has been an absolute honor to serve the Cedar Valley in the Iowa Senate. I’m grateful beyond measure to all of my supporters and my family for being there with me through thick and thin. I truly couldn’t have done this work without each and every one of you. With deep gratitude and best wishes.”

Alongside Sires, Republican Reps. Derek Wulf of Hudson and Dean Fisher of Montour both won their reelection races by comfortable margins over their Democratic challengers.

In his race for House District 76, Wulf took more than 60% of the vote over Jarred Johnston formerly of Dysart and now of Centerville, while Fisher defeated Tommy Hexter of Grinnell in the House District 53 race with nearly 57% of the vote.

In Tama County, Hexter won just two precincts including Tama with 388 votes – one more than Fisher – and Indian Settlement, a precinct where he garnered nearly 93% of the vote share.

Alongside Republican Sen. Annette Sweeney of Iowa Falls – who was not up for reelection this cycle – Sires, Wulf, and Fisher now constitute a red wall in the Iowa Assembly for Tama County.

UNOFFICIAL 2024 NOV. 5 RESULTS

Tama County Board of Supervisors

District 1 (Vote for 1)

Curt Hilmer 1,765

District 2 (Vote for 1)

David Turner 797

District 3 (Vote for 1)

Heather Knebel 1,645

District 4 (Vote for 1)

>Mark Doland 773

Berleen Wobeter 730

District 5 (Vote for 1)

>Curt Kupka 1,004

Bruce Lenhart 714

Tama County Auditor (Vote for 1)

Karen Rohrs 6,905

Tama County Sheriff (Vote for 1)

Casey Schmidt 7,080

Senate District 38 race (Vote for 1)

Eric Giddens 16,830

>Dave Sires 17,225

House District 53 race (Vote for 1)

>Dean Fisher 8,877

Tommy Hexter 6,729

House District 76 race (Vote for 1)

Jarred Johnston 6,759

>Derek Wulf 10,344