Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Fairfield to hold special election Sept. 2 to fill council vacancy
Council member Judy Ham, who died in June, was ‘dedicated to her work’
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield City Council voted unanimously to hold a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of council member Judy Ham.
Ham died on June 23 at the age of 66. She was in the middle of her second term representing Ward 3, having first been elected to the council in 2019 and re-elected in 2023. Fairfield Mayor Connie Boyer said Ham will be sorely missed on the council.
“The thing I really appreciated about Judy was that she took the job very seriously,” Boyer told The Union. “She was dedicated to her work. She cared about people and she was responsive to them. She wanted to better her ward.”
During the council’s meeting on Monday, July 14, members discussed the best way to handle the vacancy, whether the council should select a replacement to serve until the November elections or to hold a special election. Council member Matthew Rowe said he understood that holding a special election would cost more money than waiting until November, but he felt it was worth it for residents in Ward 3 to be represented.
Rowe’s argument ultimately won out and the rest of the council agreed, resulting in a unanimous vote to hold a special election. The special election will be Sept. 2, and will only be open to citizens in Ward 3, which covers the west side of town.
The council spent some time discussing the cost of a special election. Terri Kness, who previously served as Jefferson County Treasurer, said she remembers regular elections costing between $10,000-$12,000. Council member Doug Flournoy said he had just spoken with the Jefferson County Auditor’s Office on the cost of a special election and was told it would be $2,000-$3,000. Fairfield has five wards, so residents in Ward 3 constitute approximately one-fifth of the city’s population.
As of press time Wednesday, it’s not clear what the filing deadline will be for candidates who wish to run for the Sept. 2 election, but The Union will publish that information as soon as it becomes available.
Boyer said that whoever wins the special election would assume office immediately once the vote is canvassed because the election is filling a vacancy.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
