Local primary ballot set

Residents in Clay and O'Brien counties will be greeted by a smattering of competitive and non-competitive races when they fill out their ballots during the June 7 primary election.

Republicans will use the most ink when they cast their votes, as Democratic filings were few and far between. Locally, the most heated race has seven Republican candidates vying for three nominations to the Clay County Board of Supervisors.

All other competitive primary races are for statehouse nominations.

• O'Brien County (all Republicans; no Democrats filed): Incumbent District 4 Supervisor Dennis Vanden Hull, of Sheldon; incumbent District 5 Supervisor Dan Friedrichsen, of Sutherland; incumbent Treasurer Missy Hattermann, of Primghar; incumbent Recorder Susan Smith, of Primghar; and county attorney candidate Katie Morgan, of Archer.

• Clay County: Republican supervisor candidates Allen Batschelet, of Spencer, Shane Breidinger, of Spencer, Courtney DeLoss, of Spencer, Tim Hamrick, of Spencer, Paul Kassel, of Spencer, Doug Small, of Spencer, and incumbent Barry Anderson, of Greenville; Republican incumbent Treasurer LeAnn Black, of Spencer; Republican incumbent Recorder Sheila Weeks, of Spencer; incumbent Democratic County Attorney Travis Johnson, of Spencer, and Republican county attorney candidate Ashley Herrig, of Greenville.

• Iowa House District 5 (all of Osceola and O'Brien counties and parts of Cherokee and Buena Vista counties; 1 incumbent): Republicans Tom Kuiper, of Sibley, Zach Dieken, of Granville, and incumbent Rep. Dennis Bush, of Cherokee; no Democrats filed.

• Iowa Senate District 3 (all of Osceola, O'Brien and Buena Vista counties and parts of Cherokee and Clay counties; no incumbent): Republicans Lynn Evans, of Aurelia, and Anthony LaBruna, of Storm Lake; no Democrats filed.

• Iowa House District 10 (all of Dickinson and Palo Alto counties and portions of Clay and Kossuth counties, and City of Everly; 1 incumbent): Republican incumbent Rep. John Wills, of Spirit Lake; no Democrats filed.

• Iowa House District 6 (parts of Clay County, including Spencer and Royal, as well as portions of Buena Vista County, including Sioux Rapids and Storm Lake; 1 incumbent): Republican incumbent Rep. Megan Jones, of Sioux Rapids; Democrat James Eliason, of Storm Lake.

• Iowa Senate District 5 (all of Dickinson and Palo Alto counties and portions of Clay and Kossuth counties, and City of Everly; 1 incumbent): Republicans David Dow, of Emmetsburg, and incumbent Sen. Dave Rowley, of Spirit Lake; no Democrats filed.

• Absentee ballot request period open

The absentee ballot request period for the June 7 primary election opened Tuesday. Voters wishing to cast their ballot through the mail can submit their request for an absentee ballot. Iowa law allows a 70-day request period for absentee ballots.

County auditors can begin mailing absentee ballots 20 days ahead of Election Day, which will be Wednesday, May 18.

Iowans can also download the request form directly from the Iowa Secretary of State website, VoterReady.Iowa.gov. Requests to receive a ballot by mail must be received by the county auditor's office by Monday, May 23. In-person absentee voting at the county auditor's office is available through the day before the election, June 6.