Carter tops Johnson in only contested primary race
By Bob Fenske
Chickasaw County District 4 Republicans on Tuesday voted to put Issac Carter on the general election ballot this fall as Carter won a relatively easy primary victory over retired banker Terry Johnson.
Carter, the purchasing manager at Croell Inc., garnered 105 votes, or 58.3 percent, while Johnson received 75 votes, or 41.7 percent, in the only contested county race on the primary ballot.
Carter and Johnson were seeking the GOP nomination for the Board of Supervisors seat that is currently held by Matt Kuhn, a Republican who decided not to seek a second term on the board.
Turnout for the election was light as just 468 voters, less than 7.5 percent of the registered voters in the county, cast ballots in the primary.
Primary elections are basically where parties choose their nominees for general elections, and voters must be registered as a party member to cast a ballot.
Tuesday primary results are unofficial until the Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors canvas the results, which should take place early next week.
A number of candidates ran unopposed on Tuesday, and all made it through the primary unscathed. Supervisor Steve Breitbach did not have any Democratic opposition in District 1, which covers much of the northern half of the county. Former County Auditor Joan Knoll also won the Democratic primary for District 3, which covers the western half of New Hampton and surrounding rural areas, to set up a rematch with Supervisor Jake Hackman who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
Hackman is seeking a third term on the board, and he won a relatively easy victory over Knoll in the 2020 election.
Two Republican incumbents — Sheriff Ryan Shawver and Auditor Sheila Shekleton — were also unopposed on the primary ballot.
Although Democrats did not have a candidate on the ballot for District 4, which covers the east side of New Hampton and surrounding rural areas, that doesn't necessarily mean Carter will have a "free ticket" to the board in November.
That's because parties can call for a nominating convention if they didn't have a candidate on the primary ballot.
And more opposition may await primary winners because later this summer, the filing period for independent candidates will take place, but a relatively recent change in Iowa law, means that candidates who lose primary elections can't turn around and file as independents.
