Why Doesn’t Anyone Want to be This Iowa Town’s Mayor?

If you've ever thought about getting into politics, now might be your opportunity.

If you’re looking for glitz and glamour, local politics probably isn’t the best path, but you never know! Working in a position that doesn’t pay much—and often comes with a lot of responsibility—might not appeal to everyone, and in a small town like Swisher, it seems even fewer people are interested.

You Can Write Yourself In

A few years ago, my wife and I were living in Illinois, and it was time to vote. There was this position for an “auditor at large,” or something along those lines—basically, a job with no candidates listed. No one from any party was running, not even an Independent.

So, we had an open spot, but no takers. Unknowingly, both my wife and I wrote in our basset hounds—Stanlee and Buford. We were just having fun with it, but looking back, if we had coordinated, one of them could’ve actually been elected auditor with zero power. Imagine, that close to having a pet in office!

Of course, if you’re going to write in yourself (or your dog), you need to be a registered voter. But if you’re appointed, you don’t need any of that. And that’s exactly what could happen in Swisher.

What's Going On in Swisher?

Julie Persons, the former mayor of Swisher, recently resigned after being elected Johnson County Auditor. Now that she’s moved on to a more significant role, the mayor’s spot is up for grabs. According to The Gazette, the Swisher City Council decided to skip a special election and appoint a new mayor instead.

Elections Have Costs

Special elections can get expensive and take time to set up, so smaller towns often opt to appoint someone directly, rather than go through the election process. This was the case in Swisher, where the city council decided an appointment would be simpler than organizing a special election.

This can be a tough pill to swallow for some residents, though, since it means someone could be given a position of power without a direct vote from the community.

This Isn't the First Time Swisher Has Had This Issue

Back in 2023, Swisher faced a similar situation. The town’s long-time mayor, Christopher Taylor, decided not to run for re-election. When no one else stepped up to run, the mayoral race ended up being filled by write-in votes. Despite 104 people casting ballots, there was still no clear winner:

• Daryl Hynek, a city council member, got the most votes (12), but declined the mayoral role to stay on the council.
• A three-way tie between three others (including former Mayor Taylor) led to a random draw by the county auditor, which ended up naming Chad Velnick as mayor—but he also turned the position down.

Why Doesn't Anyone Want to Be Mayor?

As I mentioned earlier, this reluctance to fill the mayor’s role speaks to a broader hesitation about the job itself. The time commitment can be significant, and there are often differing views on the town's direction and growth. The lack of candidates in Swisher seems to reflect this challenge.

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At the moment, the town is still without an official mayor. Mike Stagg, a long-time city council member, is stepping in temporarily as the mayor pro tem until someone is officially appointed to the role. So, the search continues for someone willing to take on the responsibilities of leading the town.

Have You Been To Swisher?

If you haven't been to Swisher, I suggest a trip today.  It's a quaint town and they say, "located conveniently in Iowa's Corridor, Swisher is off I-380 between North Liberty and Cedar Rapids.  The town was a stop on the former Crandic Railroad, which ran from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City in the first half of the 20th century.  Swisher is home to 914 residents as of the 2020 census."

Swisher has many things going for it, but sometimes life gives us lemons, and making lemon meringue pie is what ya do... or whatever you're doing with the lemons life is giving you.