Iowa, Jones County set voting records in Nov. 3 election

     Over the weekend, after several days of undecided states counting a record number of absentee ballots, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were announced winners, president and vice president-elect, of the 2020 Presidential Election.

     Records were set not only in Iowa, but in Jones County as well in terms of absentee voting, in-person voting on Election Day (Nov. 3), and general voter turnout.

     Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced that Iowans broke the all-time turnout record for a general election. More than 1,697,000 Iowans voted on Nov. 3, surpassing the previous state record of 1,589,951 set in 2012.

     Also, more than 1 million Iowans voted via absentee, another new record. As of Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1,001,840 absentee ballots were received by county auditors across the state. (Absentee ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 and received by noon on Nov. 9 were counted.) Election results in Iowa will be certified on Nov. 30.

     Seventy-six percent of all registered voters in Iowa participated in the election, one of the highest turnout rates in the nation. Iowans also set a record for registered voters: 2,095,581 as of Nov. 2. (People could still register to vote on Election Day.)

     Jones County’s voter turnout for Nov. 3 was 78.35 percent. In 2016, voter turnout for the general election was 74.6 percent.

     This election also surpassed the one four years ago in terms of registered voters in Jones County at 14,105 (13,697 in 2016), and ballots cast at 11,051 (10,223 in 2016).

     There were several local contested races for county offices. The results are as follows:

County Supervisor District 1

     • Winner: John Schlarmann (R) with 6,653 votes (62.57 percent)

     • Wayne Manternach (D) with 3,971 votes (37.36 percent)

     “I would like to thank all those who supported me in any way,” stated Schlarmann. “I feel very blessed by all of the positive comments I received. I look forward to representing the county, and if anyone has any concerns, please contact me. Thank you, Jones County!”

County Supervisor District 5

     • Winner: Jeff Swisher (R) with 7,842 votes (74.59 percent)

     • Stuart Adams (D) with 2,667 votes (25.37 percent)

     “On behalf of our family, Angela and I would like to thank you for your overwhelming support throughout my campaign to become a Jones County Supervisor,” stated Swisher. “I look forward to continuing to serve the people I have invested 30 years caring for. It will be my honor to become your voice in January.”

County Auditor

     • Winner: Whitney Hein (R) with 4,452 votes (64.22 percent)

     • Sarah Power (D) with 3,688 votes (35.61 percent)

     “I am very excited to have won the race for the next Jones County Auditor,” Hein stated. “I greatly appreciate all the support I have gotten from my family, friends, and the community.”

County Supervisor District 2

     • Winner: Joe Oswald (D) with 7,656 votes (97.18 percent)

County Sheriff

     • Winner: Greg Graver (R) with 9,825 votes (99.14 percent)

     Iowa went red this year, electing several Republicans to state and congressional offices.

State Representative District 96

     • Winner: Lee Hein (R) with 10,752 total votes

     • Everett Chase (D) with 4,689 total votes

     In Jones County, Hein received 3,902 votes, while Chase had 2,097.

State Senator District 48

     • Winner: Dan Zumbach (R) with 22,479 total votes

     • Eric Green (D) with 12,021 total votes

     In Jones County, Zumbach received 3,801 votes, while Green had 2,259.

State Representative District 58

     • Winner: Steven Bradley (R) with 9,116 total votes

     • Andy McKean (D) with 7,878 total votes

     In Jones County, Bradley received 2,695 votes, while McKean had 1,989.

U.S. Representative District 1

     • Winner: Ashley Hinson (R) with 211,573 total votes

     • Abby Finkenauer (D) with 200,814 total votes

     In Jones County, Hinson received 6,617 votes, while Finkenauer had 4,239.

U.S. Senator

     • Winner: Joni Ernst (R) with 863,670 total votes

     • Theresa Greenfield (D) with 753,314 total votes

     In Jones County, Ernst received 6,317 votes, while Greenfield had 4,235 votes.

U.S. President and Vice President

     • Winner: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (D) with 757,580 votes in Iowa (4,211 votes in Jones County)

     • Donald Trump and Mike Pence (R) with 896,286 votes in Iowa (6,569 votes in Jones County)

     The Jones County Board of Supervisors will canvass votes following their regular board meeting on Nov. 10.