Johnson, Story and Black Hawk counties would have to elect county supervisors to represent specific districts instead of having county-wide elections under a bill that’s on its way to the governor’s desk.
Current law allows counties to decide if they elect supervisors to represent specific districts or at-large seats. House Republicans passed a bill Tuesday removing that choice for the three counties that have a public university.
Rep. Brett Barker, R-Nevada, says his constituents told him they feel like their votes don’t matter in Story County government.
“They feel like they’re outvoted by people on the campus that couldn’t even tell you what a county supervisor does. These are rural voters that are focused on things like secondary roads and bridges, like septic policy, what they feel is excessive restriction on their own property use. It’s much different than the priorities you’re going to hear when you’re around the campus.”
Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, says the bill is blatantly political and that Republicans are unfairly targeting three counties that tend to elect Democrats to county positions.