For local voters, Tuesday’s election results will carry a lot of weight.
On the county level is the race for county commissioner pitting incumbent Dick Works of Humboldt against Donald Mann of Moran, and whether voters approve a new Allen County Hospital.
In Iola specifically, the only issue is how big the next governing body will be.
Voters are deciding whether to approve a countywide, quarter-cent sales tax to help finance construction of a $30 million hospital to replace the 60-year-old Allen County Hospital.
Iola commissioners already have pledged to use a portion of their sales tax revenues to help finance construction as well, if Tuesday’s referendum passes.
In addition, Iola voters are deciding the fate of Charter Ordinance 17, which, if approved, would install a five-member city commission, including a mayor. If the ordinance fails, the city will convert to an eight-member city council in April, with a mayor elected at large. A “yes” vote favors the five-member body; a “no” allows for eight.
The vote will be the third time in the past 18 months Iolans have voted on city governance. They elected to disband the existing three-member commission in April 2009, then endorsed a five-member commission in an nonbinding election this April. The second vote prompted sitting commissioners to put in place Charter Ordinance 17, which was challenged by petition, forcing Tuesday’s vote.
In addition to the local issues, voters will decide the state’s next governor, the two major candidates being Republican Sam Brownback and Democrat Tom Holland.
Also to be chosen are attorney general, either Derek Schmidt or Steve Six; secretary of state, Chris Biggs or Kris Kobach; and state treasurer, Dennis McKinney or Ron Estes. Jerry Moran is favored to become Kansas’ junior senator in the U.S. Senate, while Rep. Lynn Jenkins is favored to be re-elected to Congress.
Big issues on ballot
