FULFILLING THAT PROMISE. END QUOTE. A VOTE THIS MORNING IN MADISON COUNTY MAY BE THE LAST HURDLE TOWARD A SPECIAL ELECTION. THE ELECTION WILL DETERMINE THE NEW COUNTY AUDITOR. THIS COMES AFTER SOME INTENSE AND HEATED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETINGS. vlog MARCUS MCINTOSH WENT TO WINTERSET AND SPOKE WITH THE PERSON WHO FILED AN OBJECTION TO THE PETITION FOR THIS SPECIAL ELECTION. THE MEETING TUESDAY MORNING IN THE MADISON COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE, IN THE COURTHOUSE BEHIND ME TO ACT ON THE OBJECTION TO THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR COUNTY AUDITOR, DID NOT LAST LONG. WE’RE HERE BECAUSE THERE’S AN OBJECTION. THERE’S AN OBJECTION FILED IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION. WHOMEVER WAS ABLE TO SQUEEZE INTO THE COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE HEARD THE MINUTES LONG MEETING. AND WITH THE COUNTY SHERIFF, COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CHAIR, VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO REJECT THE OBJECTION BY A VOTE OF 3 TO 0. THE OBJECTION IS REJECTED, AND THE ELECTION WILL CONTINUE AS SET. I THINK PROBABLY THE RIGHT DECISION WAS MADE. COUNTY SUPERVISOR DIANE FITCH, WHO DID NOT VOTE ON THE OBJECTION, SAYS THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE PEOPLE SUCCESSFULLY FIGHTING FOR WHAT THEY WANT. THEY EXERCISE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO PETITION AND TO ASSEMBLY, FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY. AND THEY ALL CAME TOGETHER. AND THERE IS EQUAL PARTS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS ON THAT SIGNATURE PAGE. AND THAT’S WHAT AMERICA SHOULD BE. MARISA SCHNEIDER, WHO FILED THE OBJECTION, WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE CRAMMED INTO THE AUDITOR’S OFFICE ON THE 22ND OF JULY AT 8:37 A.M., I FILED THIS CHALLENGE. SCHNEIDER SAYS HER PROBLEM WITH THE PETITION, FILED ON JULY 17TH, IS THE SIGNATURES WERE COLLECTED WHILE THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR WAS VACANT AND PRIOR TO THE APPOINTMENT TO FILL THAT VACANCY. THEREFORE, SIGNATURES GATHERED BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT, SHE SAYS, ARE NOT VALID AND THE PETITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNTIMELY AND LEGALLY INSUFFICIENT. A PETITION WAS FILED IN WHAT I THOUGHT, AND OTHER CITIZENS THOUGHT WAS A VACANT POSITION. THAT DOESN’T COUNT. FOLLOW CODE. AN OBJECTION THAT DID NOT HOLD UP. I DON’T BELIEVE THAT THOSE SIGNATURES SHOULD BE INVALIDATED DUE TO A CLERICAL ERROR BY THE BOARD. THE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR MADISON COUNTY AUDITOR WILL TAKE PLACE AUGUST 26TH IN WINTERSET. MARC
Madison County votes to keep special election for new auditor on the docket
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Updated: 6:50 PM CDT Jul 29, 2025
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Madison County voters will be able to elect a new auditor next month.The meeting held Tuesday morning in the Madison County Auditor's Office, located in the courthouse, concluded swiftly as officials resolved an objection to the petition for a county auditor's special election.The public gathering, attended by those able to crowd into the small office, ended with a unanimous 3-0 vote by the sheriff, the county attorney, and the Board of Supervisors chair rejecting the objection, keeping the Aug. 26 election on the calendar."By a vote of 3-0, the objection is rejected and the election will continue as set," said Stephen Swanson, Madison County attorney.County Supervisor Diane Fitch, who was present but did not cast a vote, expressed satisfaction with the decision, describing it as a testament to civic engagement.“They exercised their constitutional rights to petition and assemble. This represents America at its best,” Fitch said, commending the bipartisan cooperation observed in the signature collection, which included Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.To her, this was an example of democracy in action.The objection was filed by Marisa Schneider, who attended the meeting and voiced her concerns.“ July 22 at 8:37 a.m., I filed this challenge,” she said.Schneider’s primary grievance was rooted in the assertion that the petition signatures had been gathered while the auditor’s position was vacant and before an appointment was formally made.She said this rendered the signatures invalid and the petition, in her view, “untimely and legally insufficient.”Her argument aimed to challenge the procedural validity of the effort.Opposing Schneider’s perspective, others argued for leniency, suggesting that dismissing the signatures over a clerical oversight would not be appropriate.“I don’t believe those signatures should be invalidated due to a clerical error by the Board,” Swanson said.This sentiment seemed to resonate with the deciding officials, ultimately leading to the rejection of Schneider’s objection. Earlier this month, the board appointed Matthew Schwartz as auditor. His hiring came after former auditor Teri Kaczinski resigned amid controversy surrounding a staff appointment in the office.A petition demanding a special election gathered nearly 1,500 signatures, several hundred more than the 1,003 required. » Subscribe to vlog's YouTube page» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
WINTERSET, Iowa — Madison County voters will be able to elect a new auditor next month.
The meeting held Tuesday morning in the Madison County Auditor's Office, located in the courthouse, concluded swiftly as officials resolved an objection to the petition for a county auditor's special election.
"By a vote of 3-0, the objection is rejected and the election will continue as set," said Stephen Swanson, Madison County attorney.
County Supervisor Diane Fitch, who was present but did not cast a vote, expressed satisfaction with the decision, describing it as a testament to civic engagement.
“They exercised their constitutional rights to petition and assemble. This represents America at its best,” Fitch said, commending the bipartisan cooperation observed in the signature collection, which included Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.
To her, this was an example of democracy in action.
The objection was filed by Marisa Schneider, who attended the meeting and voiced her concerns.
“[On] July 22 at 8:37 a.m., I filed this challenge,” she said.
Schneider’s primary grievance was rooted in the assertion that the petition signatures had been gathered while the auditor’s position was vacant and before an appointment was formally made.
She said this rendered the signatures invalid and the petition, in her view, “untimely and legally insufficient.”
Her argument aimed to challenge the procedural validity of the effort.
Opposing Schneider’s perspective, others argued for leniency, suggesting that dismissing the signatures over a clerical oversight would not be appropriate.
“I don’t believe those signatures should be invalidated due to a clerical error by the Board,” Swanson said.
This sentiment seemed to resonate with the deciding officials, ultimately leading to the rejection of Schneider’s objection.
the board appointed Matthew Schwartz as auditorA petition demanding a special election gathered nearly 1,500 signatures, .
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