DAVENPORT, IOWA (May 20, 2021) — Scott County Democratic Party Chair Elesha Gayman has announced that the party will take steps to force a special election to fill the vacancy created by the early retirement of Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz. “Six months ago. Scott County voters turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots in the free and fair 2020 general election. Not happy with the outcome, Governor Reynolds, Senator Roby Smith, and the GOP-led state legislature went to work immediately and enacted a draconian measure to restrict voter-access to the polls. Now, the emboldened GOP-led Scott County Board of Supervisors has decided to eliminate elections altogether,” Gayman said. “We must resist this assault on democracy or prepare to forfeit our right as Americans to self-determination.”
On Thursday, May 13, Scott County Supervisor Tony Knobbe introduced a motion to “appoint,” rather than “elect” a new County Auditor. That motion was seconded by Supervisor John Maxwell and quickly approved along party lines, 3-2, with Democratic Supervisors Ken Croken and Brinson Kinzer in opposition. In subsequent media reports, Supervisor Knobbe reported that the Republican majority had already determined who they will appoint as auditor. But Knobbe did not disclose who was selected or how the selection was made raising concerns about Iowa’s “open meetings” law compliance. “Despite Supervisor Knobbe’s misguided understanding of civics, America is a democracy. And, it’s the electorate, not the political insiders, that determine who will represent the public interest most fairly and effectively,” Gayman said.
Chairwoman Gayman was quick to acknowledge the party faces an uphill challenge to overturn the vote of the Supervisors. “The same voter-suppression law aimed at older voters and working families that will close polls early; limit early voting; and, make voting by mail more difficult also makes this petition drive more challenging,” she explained. “In order to force a free and fair election of our new auditor, the people must collect nearly 9,500 signatures. And, state law now requires we do so in only 14 days. Furthermore, we cannot start now. We must wait until the Board actually names its pre-selected appointee, the date for which they have not yet revealed. Clearly, these byzantine rules are intended to ensure no one questions the actions of the Board. It is both shameful and unamerican.”
Nonetheless, the Scott County Democrats are laying plans to gather the requisite number of signatures once they permitted by law to do so. “It’s a challenge for sure,” Gayman said. “But we’re determined to resist this power-grab. And we’re very encouraged by the number of phone calls we’ve received from Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, and Republicans asking to join the effort and sign a petition. As Americans, they share a commitment to free and fair elections and not simply changing the rules of the game simply because you don’t like your chances of winning.”
