5 Reasons Why Iowa City Council Special Election Primary Is Just That (and You Should Vote)

On Tuesday, September 4th, voters in Iowa City will be making a difficult choice about which two of five candidates that they will send forward to a special election on October 2nd with the winner finishing up the term that Kingsley Botchway began before departing to Waterloo for career advancement. In this two part series, here are profiles on the five candidates (The quotes below come from the Cedar Rapids Gazette, as well as the links to the candidate's own guest opinions. Questions posed by The Iowa City Press-Citizen are also linked to each):

Ann Freerks  (Questions from Press-Citizen Editorial Board)
Community Service: Former member of Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, President of the Longfellow Neighborhood Association and President of the Longfellow PTA, Member of Advisory Board for Any Given Child

Current Role: Creative Coordinator, University of Iowa, Office of Strategic Communications

"I have come to understand how everything is interconnected. We need healthy, balanced, sustainable neighborhoods for all. Our streets and bike trails need to be connected. Our bus system and parks need to meet our changing needs. We need to preserve the character of our downtown but not be afraid of growth in the right areas and with the appropriate character and scale. This growth should not be at the expense of something else in the community, but an addition to it."

Ryan Hall  (Questions from Press-Citizen Editorial Board)
Community Service: Green Iowa Americorps, Current member of Iowa City Board of Adjustment, President of River City Housing Collective

Current Role: Student, University of Iowa Environmental Studies Program

"This campaign is about an Iowa City community that has limitless potential to address poverty, build a sustainable future, clean our water, and prepare our young folks to be leaders. I am running because young people need to get involved in community issues and local politics. We must bridge the gap between the student population and the residents of Iowa City. We must come together to face the issues in our community. I will be a voice for all people. This includes Iowa City’s working class, students, renters, immigrants, people of color, and other marginalized groups of residents."

Christine Ralston  (Questions from Press-Citizen Editorial Board)
Community Service: Former Vice-chair of the Generation Iowa Commission, Current member of Iowa City Housing and Community Development Commission

Current Role: Director of Career Services, University of Iowa Law School

"I am uncompromising in my search for honest, creative solutions to the problems our community faces. “It is too hard,” is a challenge, not a response. And so, when facing complicated, intersectional issues like raising wages for city workers, I won’t accept at face value that we cannot afford it. I will ask about other revenue sources, about what we as a community value and how we prioritize it, about what it means to be a good member of our community. Only then do we decide".

Bruce Teague  (Questions from Press-Citizen Editorial Board)
Community Service: Iowa City Chamber of Commerce, Iowa City Noon Day Rotary, Target Small Business, Iowa Olmstead Consumer Task Force, Mental Health and Disabilities Advocate, AARP (past chapter president), IC Compassion/Immigration BIA Center (steering committee and past chair), Johnson County Livable Communities (committees included Task Force on Aging, and vice chair, Cleaning 4 A Reason

Current Role: Owner/CEO, Caring Hands & More Home Health & Family Service; Caring Hands & More Multigenerational Center; and CHARM Homes

"Iowa City faces highly complex issues: affordable housing, livable wages (for city workers and the workforce in general), effective transportation, economic development, and diversity and inclusion. If you elect me to the Iowa City City Council, I will hear your voice! I will work diligently for policies that honor the belief that human rights are our right. It is time for all voices at the table!"

 Brianna Wills  (Questions from Press-Citizen Editorial Board)
Community Service: Public Relations Chair, Special Populations Grant for Voting Access, Johnson County Board of Supervisors, Planning and Zoning Commissioner, Meals on Wheels Participant, Iowa City Noon Rotary, Johnson County Democrats Central Committee, District Wide Parents’ Organization (DPO), Co-President 2014-2015, Trustee, Kickers Soccer Club, Iowa City Community School District Foundation Board, DPO Rep. 2014-2015, Iowa City Community School District Foundation, Parties for a Purpose committee, United Action For Youth (UAY), Festival of Flowers Committee, Operation Backpack, HACAP Food Reservoir, 100+ Women Who Care, Iowa City Junior Service League, Holiday Home Tour-Chair and New Member Chair, Herbert Hoover Elementary: PTA President 2013-2014, Neighborhood Park Planning Committee, City of Iowa City/Neighborhood, Distinguished Young Women of Iowa Scholarship Program, VP-Board of Directors, Iowa City Panhellenic Alumnae Council, Iowa City Community School District Interview and Selection Committee, Iowa City Community School District Advisory Committee on Magnet Schools, Iowa City Community School District PERL Levy Committee

Current Role: Executive Director, The Old Brick

"Iowa City is growing. This means more people will need more housing and services. The council benefits from collaborating with the nonprofit sector, which has experience serving the most vulnerable. One of my top priorities as council person is to make sure no one in our community feels physically or psychologically isolated."

Update 8/31: Additional insights of each candidate via Little Village