The Decent Ballot  /  Iowa  /  Scott County  /  Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Scott County

Who on your ballot seems like good people, in a sentence or two each, with sources. Fill out your ballot in ten minutes.

best choice in the race Seems like good people Compromised Not good people Not enough info

Who is running in Scott County, Iowa in 2026

Board of Supervisors, at-large
Kevin Randle, Stephen Doerscher, Tim Carr, Jean Dickson, John Maxwell, Luana Stoltenberg and Wendy Walljasper
County Treasurer
Samuel Samara and Gregory T Guy
County Recorder
Toby Paone and Michael E Wulf
U.S. Senator
Josh Turek, Ashley Hinson and Thomas Laehn
Governor / Lieutenant Governor
Rob Sand / Dave Muhlbauer and Zach Lahn / Derek Wulf
Secretary of State
Ryan Peterman and Paul D. Pate
Attorney General
Nate Willems and Brenna Bird
Auditor of State
Taylor Wettach and Chris Cournoyer
Treasurer of State
John Norwood and Roby Smith
Secretary of Agriculture
Chris Jones and Mike Naig
U.S. Representative, District 1
Christina Bohannan, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Michael Bridgford
Iowa Senate District 35
Mike Zimmer and Joe Stutting
Iowa Senate District 41
Tom Wieck and Kerry Gruenhagen
Iowa Senate District 47
Nikhil Wagle and Scott Webster
Iowa House District 70
George Pickup and Norlin Mommsen
Iowa House District 81
Daniel Gosa and Dillon Fillion
Iowa House District 82
James Behrmann and Bobby Kaufmann
Iowa House District 93
Keith Soko and Gary M. Mohr
Iowa House District 94
Karen Roebuck and Mike Vondran
Iowa House District 97
Adam Peters and Charlie Helmick
Iowa House District 98
Andrew Fitzgerald and Nathan Ramker

Scott County

County races in Iowa are partisan. The five supervisors are all elected countywide. Township trustee and clerk races, the soil and water commission and the agricultural extension council are not covered. Davenport, Bettendorf and the school boards elect in odd years, and there are no county, city or school measures on this ballot.

Board of Supervisors, at-large

Vote for three

Three seats, seven candidates. Independent Brendan O'Brien withdrew and is not on the ballot. We pick the three Democrats; Dickson is the Republican we'd consider, and we found nothing against her.

Kevin Randle

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

GIS specialist for the City of Davenport; president of AFSCME Local 887

Holds a master's in urban and regional planning from the University of Iowa and runs the union local for Davenport city workers. Running on water quality, affordable housing and essential county services.

Sources: Campaign site, Scott County Democrats

Stephen Doerscher

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Journeyman ironworker; Iowa political coordinator for Ironworkers Local 111

A Davenport Central graduate who joined the Ironworkers in 2013. Says he will speak for working people who aren't represented on the board now, with a focus on clean water and fair wages.

Sources: Scott County Democrats, Campaign site

Tim Carr

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Owner of a remodeling business for 27 years; former QC Homebuilders & Remodelers board member

A 40-year county resident running on transparent budgets, clean water, responsible growth and support for small farmers.

Sources: Scott County Democrats, Campaign site

Jean Dickson

Not enough info Republican

Supervisor since 2023, vice chair since 2025; attorney in private practice since 1993

Served two terms on the Pleasant Valley school board and sits on the Bettendorf Civil Service Commission. We found nothing on her board record either way.

Sources: Scott County, North Scott Press

John Maxwell

Compromised Republican

Supervisor since 2019 and board chair; dairy farmer, Cinnamon Ridge Dairy; 12 years on the North Scott school board

In October the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board opened an investigation into a complaint that he filmed campaign videos inside county facilities that are closed to the public. Maxwell says he didn't know it was a violation and took down a video shot at the county maintenance shop.

Sources: North Scott Press, Scott County

Luana Stoltenberg

Not good people Republican

Iowa House member for District 81, 2023 to 2025; business owner

In the Legislature she sponsored bills to deny in-state college tuition to students who can't prove citizenship or lawful presence and to bar "Satanic displays" on public property, plus a resolution backing Texas against federal immigration policy. Now running on lower property taxes and more open county government.

Sources: Ballotpedia, River Cities' Reader

Wendy Walljasper

Not enough info Independent

No-party candidate

On the ballot by petition with no party. We found no campaign site, statements or record.

Sources: Ballotpedia

County Treasurer

Vote for one

Open seat: the sitting treasurer is not running.

Samuel Samara

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Scott County's IT infrastructure manager; adjunct instructor at Eastern Iowa Community College

Already runs the county's network and enterprise IT systems, and was a volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Long Grove Fire Department. Won the June Democratic primary.

Sources: Scott County Democrats, Ballotpedia

Gregory T Guy

Not enough info Republican

Finance director and business manager in the auto industry

Ran for this office in 2018, citing 33 years in business finance and promising to modernize the office's technology. We found nothing recent.

Sources: Quad-City Times (2018), Ballotpedia

County Recorder

Vote for one

Open seat: Recorder Rita Vargas dropped her reelection bid in June, and Democrats named Paone in her place.

Toby Paone

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Social studies teacher at Prince of Peace Catholic School in Clinton; former UniServ director for the Iowa State Education Association

Has served on the Davenport Civil Service Commission and Design Review Board and the Mississippi Bend AEA board. Running on prompt service and careful handling of county records.

Sources: Campaign site, North Scott Press

Michael E Wulf

Not enough info Republican

Operations and process improvement manager; Iowa State engineering graduate

A fourth-generation Scott County resident promising accurate property records and faster processing. First run, no record.

Sources: Campaign site, Ballot Brief

Unopposed county races

No contest

County Attorney (Kelly Cunningham-Haan, Republican incumbent).

7th District judges (retention)

Not profiled

Yes or no on keeping District Judges Jeffrey McDaniel, Elizabeth O'Donnell, Joel William Barrows, Henry William Latham II, Mark Ray Lawson, Patrick A. McElyea and Tamra J. Roberts, and Associate District Judge Cheryl E. Traum. We haven't profiled judges yet.

State and federal

Scott County is in the 1st Congressional District. Iowa Senate Districts 35, 41 and 47 are on the ballot here; voters in Senate District 49 (most of Davenport's House Districts 97 and 98) have no Senate race this year. Check your sample ballot for your districts.

U.S. Senator

Vote for one

Open seat: Sen. Joni Ernst is not running again.

Josh Turek

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

State representative from Council Bluffs since 2023; two-time Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball

Calls himself a "common-sense" Democrat and won't take corporate PAC money. Wants to ban members of Congress and their spouses from trading stock, and is endorsed by Tom Harkin, the Iowa Federation of Labor and the state teachers' union.

Sources: Campaign platform, Campaign endorsements, Wikipedia

Ashley Hinson

Not good people Republican

U.S. representative for the 2nd District since 2021; former KCRG-TV anchor and state representative

Endorsed by Donald Trump, and her campaign says she is "working alongside President Trump." In September 2026 a watchdog filed a House ethics complaint asking whether she used her office to help her husband's insurance trade group; her campaign says his role there was unpaid.

Sources: Wikipedia, Campaign site, Iowa Starting Line

Thomas Laehn

Not enough info Libertarian

Greene County attorney since 2019; first Libertarian elected to partisan office in Iowa

Greene County's attorney and the first Libertarian elected to a partisan office in Iowa. Says Congress has let presidents of both parties take its power, and that Republicans in Congress "are more loyal to Trump than they are to their own institution." Calls the carbon pipeline "the biggest boondoggle in the history of our state."

Sources: Bleeding Heartland, Bleeding Heartland, Campaign site, Bleeding Heartland, Ballotpedia

Governor / Lieutenant Governor

Vote for one

Open seat: Gov. Kim Reynolds is not running again. Governor and lieutenant governor are elected together as a ticket.

Rob Sand / Dave Muhlbauer

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

State auditor since 2019; former assistant attorney general; running mate is a Crawford County supervisor

As a prosecutor he convicted the lottery insider behind the $25 million Hot Lotto fraud, and as auditor his office flagged $21 million in misused federal COVID money that the state paid back. Says he would veto "culture war" bills.

Sources: Iowa Capital Dispatch, The Gazette, Wikipedia

Zach Lahn / Derek Wulf

Not good people Republican

Businessman and former political operative; running mate is a state representative from Hudson

Endorsed by Donald Trump, who called him "more Trump" than his primary opponent, and by Turning Point Action and former Rep. Steve King. The sheriff in Black Hawk County is investigating fraud and theft accusations against Wulf, whose farm business was put under a court-appointed manager in September 2026.

Sources: CBS2 Iowa, KCRG, Wikipedia

Secretary of State

Vote for one

The secretary of state runs Iowa elections.

Ryan Peterman

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Navy helicopter pilot for about a decade; former software engineer at Instagram

Wants voting made easier for eligible Iowans while keeping elections secure. "I'm not running to be a partisan warrior," he says. Endorsed by the Iowa Federation of Labor and VoteVets.

Sources: Campaign site, Scott County Democrats, iVoterGuide

Paul D. Pate

Compromised Republican

Secretary of State since 2015 (and 1995 to 1999); former Cedar Rapids mayor

Brought in online voter registration in 2016 and wrote Iowa's voter ID law. Days before the 2024 election he told county auditors to challenge the ballots of 2,176 people flagged as possible noncitizens, though he agreed most of them were likely citizens.

Sources: Wikipedia, Campaign site, KCRG

Attorney General

Vote for one

Nate Willems

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Labor and workers' compensation attorney in Mount Vernon; state representative 2009 to 2012

Won a settlement of about $15 million for hospital and clinic workers, and wants the office's first wage enforcement unit. Endorsed by former Attorney General Tom Miller, the Iowa Federation of Labor and the Sierra Club.

Sources: Campaign site, Iowa Podcast, Wikipedia

Brenna Bird

Not good people Republican

Attorney General since 2023; former Guthrie County Attorney and chief of staff to Rep. Steve King

Endorsed by Donald Trump in September 2026. In April 2023 her office stopped the state's practice of paying for emergency contraception for rape victims.

Sources: Iowa Starting Line, Wikipedia

Auditor of State

Vote for one

Open seat: Auditor Rob Sand is running for governor.

Taylor Wettach

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Muscatine attorney in international trade and national security law

Running on rooting out waste and fraud. Says his federal job was cut by DOGE and that Trump went after his law firm. Endorsed by former Gov. Tom Vilsack and former Attorney General Tom Miller.

Sources: Campaign site, Daily Iowan

Chris Cournoyer

Compromised Republican

Lieutenant governor since December 2024; state senator 2019 to 2024; tech business owner

As a senator she voted for the 2023 law that took away the auditor's power to go to court when state agencies refuse to hand over records, the job she now wants.

Sources: Iowa Public Radio, Wikipedia

Treasurer of State

Vote for one

John Norwood

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Business advisor, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program; Polk County soil and water commissioner

His first priority is protecting IPERS, the public employees' pension fund, from privatization. Also running on paying down debt and returning unclaimed money to Iowans.

Sources: Iowa Public Radio, Campaign site

Roby Smith

Compromised Republican

Treasurer since 2023; state senator from Davenport 2011 to 2022; former banker

Says the state's pooled money fund has earned more than $1 billion since he took office. In the Senate he sponsored the 2021 law that cut early voting from 29 days to 20 and closed the polls an hour earlier.

Sources: Iowa Treasurer, Iowa Capital Dispatch, American Oversight

Secretary of Agriculture

Vote for one

Chris Jones

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Retired University of Iowa water scientist; former lab director at Des Moines Water Works

Calls Iowa's water quality the "biggest failure of our state government in the history of the state" and wants tighter rules on large livestock operations. Wrote The Swine Republic, a 2025 book on farming and water.

Sources: Iowa Public Radio, Iowa PBS

Mike Naig

Compromised Republican

Secretary of Agriculture since 2018; Cylinder farmer

Backed by the Iowa Farm Bureau and corn growers' PACs, the industry his office oversees. Funds voluntary cover crop and runoff programs but opposes new water quality rules, saying they would hurt small and mid-sized farms.

Sources: Iowa Public Radio, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Corn

Constitutional amendment and judicial retention

Propositions

We describe these and don't make recommendations.

  • Amendment 1, income tax increases: Requires a two-thirds vote of each house of the Legislature to raise the individual or corporate income tax rate or create a new state tax on income. Local option taxes are exempt, and any lawsuit claiming a tax bill wasn't passed properly must be filed within a year. A yes vote adds that rule; a no vote leaves tax increases at a simple majority.
  • Judicial retention: Yes or no on keeping Court of Appeals Judges Sharon Soorholtz Greer, John M. Sandy and Julie A. Schumacher. No Supreme Court justices are up this year. District judges on your ballot vary by county. We haven't profiled judges yet.

U.S. Representative, District 1

Vote for one

The third Bohannan and Miller-Meeks matchup; Miller-Meeks won in 2024 by under 1,000 votes. Bridgford seems decent, but Bohannan is closer to our side and has the better chance.

Christina Bohannan

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

University of Iowa law professor; Iowa House member 2021 to 2023

Wants a ban on stock trading by members of Congress, plus term and age limits. Endorsed by the UAW, the League of Conservation Voters and Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

Sources: Wikipedia, Campaign news

Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Not good people Republican

Incumbent since 2021; ophthalmologist and Army veteran; former Iowa public health director

Running with what House Republicans' campaign arm calls Trump's "full and complete endorsement," which helped her beat a primary challenger. Also endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Sources: NRCC, Ballotpedia, Quad-City Times

Michael Bridgford

Seems like good people Independent

Independent financial advisor from Bettendorf

Running on term limits and a congressional stock trading ban, and criticized immigration enforcement that rounds up longtime residents. Endorsed by the Forward Party.

Sources: Iowa Public Radio, Forward Party

Iowa Senate District 35

Vote for one

Northern Scott County, with parts of Clinton and Jackson counties.

Mike Zimmer

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Senator since February 2025; former teacher, principal and school administrator; former Central DeWitt school board president

Flipped a Republican seat in a January 2025 special election. Running on public school funding, a higher minimum wage, paid family leave and cheaper child care.

Sources: Bleeding Heartland, Scott County Democrats

Joe Stutting

Not enough info Republican

Superintendent of the North Scott Community School District since 2014; president, School Administrators of Iowa

A former National Guard member running on tax relief and "small-town conservative values." Endorsed by the NFIB small-business PAC; no record in office.

Sources: North Scott Press, Sway

Iowa Senate District 41

Vote for one

Tom Wieck

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Operations manager in aerospace, defense, health care and agribusiness for 25 years

Says Iowa should work for "the families," not lobbyists, and that Trump's tariffs have hurt farmers. Running on costs, rural health care and water quality.

Sources: Scott County Democrats, Blog for Iowa

Kerry Gruenhagen

Compromised Republican

Senator since 2023; Walcott farmer and small-business owner; former Muscatine County Farm Bureau president

Organizer of the Quad City Conservative Breakfast Club. Endorsed by Americans for Prosperity.

Sources: Iowa Legislature, Americans for Prosperity

Iowa Senate District 47

Vote for one

Nikhil Wagle

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Bettendorf ophthalmologist; 12 years on the Pleasant Valley school board, five as president; former Iowa Board of Medicine secretary

Says reproductive care decisions belong to patients and their doctors. Endorsed by the Iowa AFL-CIO, the Iowa Farmers Union, the state teachers' union and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa.

Sources: Scott County Democrats, Iowa Farmers Union

Scott Webster

Compromised Republican

Senator since 2023; chair, Senate Local Government Committee; homebuilder; Bettendorf alderman for eight years

Voted for Iowa's six-week abortion ban in 2023. Endorsed by Americans for Prosperity and the NRA.

Sources: Planned Parenthood Advocates, Americans for Prosperity, Sway

Iowa House District 70

Vote for one

George Pickup

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Retired Central DeWitt High School principal; 38 years in public schools

Wants schools funded at 5% a year, compared with the roughly 2% they get now, and collective bargaining restored for public employees. Wants local control over data centers.

Sources: WVIK, Scott County Democrats

Norlin Mommsen

Not enough info Republican

Representative since 2015; corn, soybean and cattle farmer

As chair of the agriculture and natural resources budget committee he steered money to water quality and helped create the Choose Iowa local food program. We found nothing more on his record either way.

Sources: WVIK, Iowa Legislature

Iowa House District 81

Vote for one

Daniel Gosa

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Representative since 2025; president of the Quad City Federation of Labor; former Davenport school board president

A union insulator who served on the Davenport school board from 2015. Running on public schools and jobs, and says Des Moines has "lost sight of what's important to the people of Davenport."

Sources: Wikipedia, Scott County Democrats

Dillon Fillion

Not good people Republican

Scott Community College criminal justice student; campaign volunteer

Worked as a field operator for Trump's Iowa campaign and a precinct caucus captain for him. Endorsed by Veterans for America First and Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann.

Sources: Ballotpedia, Campaign site

Iowa House District 82

Vote for one

James Behrmann

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Cancer survivor from rural Atalissa; former Yellow Cab driver

Running on Iowa's cancer rates, a higher minimum wage, public schools and family farms. Endorsed by AFSCME Council 61 and the Iowa Federation of Labor.

Sources: Scott County Democrats, Sway

Bobby Kaufmann

Not good people Republican

House Majority Leader since 2025; representative since 2013; farmer and demolition business owner

A senior adviser to Trump's 2024 Iowa caucus campaign, who proposed 2021 voting restrictions and has promoted false claims of voter fraud. Endorsed by the NRA.

Sources: Wikipedia, Sway

Iowa House District 93

Vote for one

Keith Soko

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Taught social justice and medical ethics at St. Ambrose University for 19 years

Says "we cannot have a just society built on lies" and is running on women's, LGBTQ and immigrant rights, public schools and rural health care.

Sources: Campaign site, Scott County Democrats

Gary M. Mohr

Not enough info Republican

Representative since 2017; chair, House Appropriations Committee; retired college administrator

Writes the state budget as appropriations chair and helped end state income tax on retirement income. Says his 2026 priorities are slowing property tax growth and limiting eminent domain for CO2 pipelines.

Sources: WVIK, Iowa Legislature

Iowa House District 94

Vote for one

Karen Roebuck

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Licensed insurance agent; former Eastern Iowa Community Colleges staffer and Head Start worker

Founded Breath of Encouragement, a nonprofit offering arts and education programs, and sits on the Illinois-Iowa Independent Living board. Running on public schools and keeping young Iowans in the state.

Sources: Campaign site, Scott County Democrats

Mike Vondran

Not good people Republican

Representative since 2023; chair, House Public Safety Committee; CEO of TAG Communications

In 2025 he co-sponsored an amendment to keep gender identity protections in the Iowa Civil Rights Act, then said he had been "mislead" and pledged to vote for the bill removing them. Wrote a column titled "Iowa will stand strong with President Trump's immigration enforcement."

Sources: Bleeding Heartland, North Scott Press

Iowa House District 97

Vote for one

Open seat: Peters beat Rep. Ken Croken in the Democratic primary.

Adam Peters

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Former operations director, Clock Inc. LGBT+ community center; chair, Iowa Stonewall Democrats

Running on a higher minimum wage, public schools, health care and civil rights protections. Worked on Pete Buttigieg's 2020 campaign and as digital director for Mike Franken's 2024 Senate run.

Sources: Campaign site, Scott County Democrats

Charlie Helmick

Not enough info Republican

Marine Corps veteran; insurance executive; former truck driver, union carpenter and FedEx route manager

Ran in Illinois before this: for Congress in the 2022 Republican primary and for the Illinois House in 2024, losing both. Calls himself a "union Republican."

Sources: Ballotpedia

Iowa House District 98

Vote for one

Open seat: Democrat Monica Kurth, who beat Ramker by 45 votes in 2024, is not running.

Andrew Fitzgerald

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Automation technician at Invio Automation; former union maintenance worker at Kraft

A Davenport West graduate running on public schools and health care costs, and says universal health care would save the country money.

Sources: Scott County Democrats, Ballotpedia

Nathan Ramker

Compromised Republican

Business owner; lost this seat by 45 votes after a 2024 recount

Told a conservative voter guide "I don't believe racism is a problem" and that teachers should be allowed to carry guns at school. Endorsed by Veterans for America First.

Sources: iVoterGuide, Ballotpedia, Campaign site

More Iowa guides

Governor, statewide offices and ballot measures: Iowa statewide races.

When and where to vote

Register by
Monday, October 19, 5 p.m., to be pre-registered. Register online through the Iowa DOT or on paper with the county auditor; see the Secretary of State's registration page. After that you can still register at the polls on Election Day, or when voting early in person, if you bring proof of identity and proof of where you live (a lease, utility or phone bill, bank statement, paycheck or government document dated within 45 days). Check your registration.
Early voting
In person from Wednesday, October 14 through Monday, November 2. The Auditor's Office at the Scott County Administrative Center (600 W. 4th St., Davenport, first-floor Board Room) is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., until 5 p.m. on October 19 and 30, Saturday, October 31, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closes at 4:30 p.m. on November 2. Satellite sites run most weekdays and the Saturdays of October 17 and 24 at the Eldridge, Bettendorf and Davenport (Fairmount St.) libraries, plus one-day sites such as St. Ambrose University on October 28 and LeClaire Community Library on October 27. Full schedule.
Election Day
Tuesday, November 3, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., at your assigned polling place. Find yours.
Mail ballot
Anyone can vote by mail, no reason needed. Your written request must reach the Scott County Auditor (600 W. 4th St., Davenport, IA 52801) by 5 p.m. Monday, October 19; postmarks don't count. Ballots go out starting October 14. Your ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, and a postmark no longer counts, so mail it early or use the drop box. The 24-hour drive-up drop box is on the west side of the Administrative Center parking lot, open October 14 to 8 p.m. November 3. Request form and ballot tracking.
Bring
Iowa requires ID to vote early in person or at the polls: an Iowa driver's license or non-operator ID, U.S. passport, U.S. military or veteran ID, tribal ID, or a signed Iowa Voter ID card. Without one you can cast a provisional ballot and show ID by noon the following Monday. Details.
Your ballot
Scott County has 80 ballot styles. Find yours among the official sample ballots, which also list every candidate.

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Last updated October 8, 2026.