Election paperwork can be filed next week

WASHINGTON — The window for would-be officeholders is approaching fast ahead of the Nov. 4, 2025 election, which will see a handful of Washington school board members and city officials up for re-election.

Mayor Millie Youngquist and Council Members Elaine Moore (at-large) and Fran Stigers (Ward 4) all said they planned to seek re-election in November. Anyone running in those races will therefore find themselves up against an incumbent in the competition for a spot on the city’s top decision-making body.

Council Member Ivan Rangel, however, said he did not plan to run again, leaving the city’s second ward — the northeast quarter of town — uncontested in the upcoming election. The city official said he planned to move outside of city limits in the near future.

“I need to get out in the country, my business is growing and I have more equipment, more things, I just need to get a place with a few acres, at least,” Rangel said. “I hope everybody was pleased with my three years.”

Washington school board members Mindi Rees, Mike Liska and Jim Almelien are also up for re-election this year. Rees said she planned to run again. Liska and Almelien could not immediately be reached Wednesday morning for comments about their plans.

Candidate filing deadline is Sept. 18

Paperwork to run for the elected positions on this year’s ballot is available at the respective school board secretary and city clerk offices across the state.

According to Washington County Elections Administrator Angela Langstraat, those interested in running for municipal or school board positions can file their paperwork as early as Aug. 25, and must have the forms turned in to the office where they picked their paperwork up by a statewide deadline at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18.

Eligible candidates must fill out their affidavit of candidacy and gather a sufficient number of signatures on their nomination petitions: 25 for city officials in Washington and Kalona, or 10 for any other city in the county, according to a candidate guide from the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office.

In school races, the number varies: those interested in running must gather either 50 signatures, or a number equal to 1% of the district’s registered voters, whichever is less. For districts with under 1,000 registered voters, candidates need only gather 10 signatures, according to another Secretary of State-provided candidate guide.

Tuesday, Sept. 23 is the deadline to challenge any candidacy or withdraw from a race before ballots begin printing, according to Langstraat.

Washington’s city and school board require candidates to live in the wards they run to represent. Additionally, the Secretary of State’s Office says eligible candidates for any city or school race must be adult U.S. citizens who reside in the state of Iowa, and must not be convicted of a felony unless their voting rights have been restored by the president or governor.

It’s worth noting that Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed an executive order restoring voting rights to all state citizens at the end of their prison sentences, except for those convicted of homicide. The state’s restriction of voting rights does not apply for misdemeanor convictions, nor for anyone convicted of a felony but given deferred judgment.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com