Political parties do have a role for voters. Perhaps this is most obvious during a primary or caucus when the members of a party have the opportunity to select the nominee and, thus, help decide the direction of the party. Party identification often plays a role in general elections, too, particularly on down-ballot races.
When there are three or more candidates running for a seat in a state legislature or on a county board, learning about each candidate’s positions and style of governing can be time consuming. It is much easier to trust the candidate representing any given party will have the same opinions and values as other candidates and office holders of the party. In Iowa, where voters can cast a broad vote for all candidates running on a party’s ticket, this gives Republican and Democrat candidates a major head start on vote totals. For Libertarians, even when they are the most experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated person running for an office, this means they need to put in considerably more effort in reaching out to future constituents in order to gather enough votes to win an election.
Meet Jeff Meyers, candidate for Iowa House District 38, including the southern part of Ankeny and surrounding townships. Jeff can be followed on social media (facebook, twitter, website), but voters are much more likely to encounter him when he’s shaking hands during a parade or knocking on doors in the community. A Des Moines native, a few years ago Jeff moved his family to Ankeny in a matter of school choice. Education is one of his campaign issues, as is medical marijuana and returning voting rights automatically to felons who have served their sentences. Jeff is running in a district that has had strong partisan voting in recent elections. It is time for a change as Jeff notes in a recent tweet: “The GOP and the Dems have had 100 plus years to follow your advice. They don’t listen to you. I will.”
Meet Keith Laube, candidate for Jasper County Supervisor. Voters in Jasper County have an enviable possibility – three political parties and three seats on the Board of Supervisors. If Keith wins this election, Jasper County residents would have a truly balanced board with one Republican, one Democrat, and one Libertarian. That is not the only reason to vote for Keith, though. With a degree in civil engineering and years of serving as director of public works in Newton, Keith has the knowledge and experience his opponents lack to serve the needs and interests of the county’s residents. Read a Letter to the Newton Daily News in support of electing Keith. To learn more, read Keith’s campaign flyer here.
Meet John Evans, candidate for Iowa House District 49, including Story County. John is in a four-way race for this seat, with one of the candidates being the incumbent. Check out facebook posts from John and even an endorsement posted on the page by Jerry C. yesterday: “Evans has my vote – Some common sense can go a long way.” Here is a statement from his website about his campaign issues: “I am mainly concerned with protecting individual rights, making it easier to open and operate small businesses, marriage equality, and limiting government intrusion into our lives at the state level.”
