|
Historic Facts and Figures: Iowa City
Primary Elections
Turnout
2009 set a new record for the lowest turnout in a city-wide primary with
only 1,874 voters. The highest turnout city primary was in 1979 with 5,914 voters. A record
number of candidates contributed to the high turnout.
City Primaries and Turnout
| October
6, 2009 |
1,874 |
| October
9, 2007 |
3,182 |
| October
11, 2005 |
3,840 |
| October
7, 2003 |
4,300 |
| October
9, 2001 |
5,274 |
| October
5, 1999 |
2,475 |
| October
7, 1997 |
5,498 |
| October
10, 1995 |
5,460 |
| October
5, 1993 |
5,144 |
| October
18, 1983 |
3,482 |
| October
13, 1981 |
3,644 |
| October
16, 1979 |
5,914 |
| October
18, 1977 |
4,164 |
| |
|
Special Elections and District-only Primaries |
| June
15, 1993 Special (District C only) |
1,088 |
| December
13, 1988 Special |
2,787 |
| October
15, 1985 (District B only) |
701 |
Early Voting
2003 set a record for the percentage of votes cast early. 879 early
votes were counted, accounting for 20.44% of the total vote.
The largest number of early ballots cast was in 2001. 1,056
early ballots were received and counted (20.02% of the total vote).
Years with No Primary
Iowa City did not require primaries in 1987, 1989, or 1991. However,
October elections were held in two of those years: a local option sales tax
vote in 1987 and an Iowa City school bond vote in 1991.
Highest Vote
Totals for Candidates
The record highest vote totals for candidates in both at-large and district
contests were set in 2001. Ernie Lehman won 3,299 votes in the at-large
contest. Connie Champion won 1,689 votes in the 2001 District B
primary. Both went on to win the November election.
Election Results
Closest Elections
2009 set a new record for closest decisive margin in a city primary. Dan
Tallon led Jared Bazzell by seven votes for the fourth and final spot in the
general election.
Prior to 1999, the closest decisive margins in an at large race and a district contest were
both in 1997.
- Ross Wilburn led Gary Sanders by 61 votes for the fourth and final at
large spot in the general election. Wilburn lost the 1997 general
election but was elected to a district seat in 1999.
- In the District B race, incumbent Larry Baker led Russell Lovetinsky by 25
votes for the second spot in the general election. Baker was later
defeated in the general election.
Has a candidate who led in the city primary (or ran second in a contest for
two seats) ever been defeated in the general election?
This has happened six times since district seats were established in
1975, most recently in 2005. Rick Dobyns was in first place in the primary, with Amy Correia in
second place and incumbent Mike O'Donnell in third. In the general
election, Correia placed first, O'Donnell was second, and Dobyns third.
Has an incumbent ever been defeated in the primary?
The only incumbent defeated in a primary
since 1975 was Irvin Pfab in the 2003 District C primary.
Most Candidates
In 1979 there were a total of sixteen candidates: eight at large and four
each in two district races.
In 1981 ten candidates ran in the at-large contest, but no district primary
was required.
Other Cities
The
last primary held in a city in Johnson County other than Iowa City was in
Solon in 1983. Solon has since abolished its primary requirement.
University Heights requires a primary if enough candidates
file, and came very close to needing a primary in 2009. Two candidates filed
for mayor and ten filed for five council seats. One more candidate in either
race would have required a primary. Our records date back to 1977, and
University Heights has not had a primary in that time.
City Runoffs
The last city runoff election in Johnson County was held on December
1, 1987 in Hills. Following that election, Hills abolished the
runoff requirement and now no city in Johnson County has a runoff.
|
