Voters in West Liberty highly favored Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden while Atalissa and Nichols area residents casting ballots highly favored President Donald Trump.
The Muscatine County Auditor’s Office unveiled local voter counts early last week and it showed Biden, the assumed president-elect, carried West Liberty, the two precincts voting 1,204-658 in favor of Biden including 745-492 in West Liberty Precinct one/Wapsi and 450-166 in West Liberty Precinct two.
In the race for U.S. Senate from Iowa, Republican Joni Ernst had similar results locally, with West Liberty/Wapsi voters favoring Democrat Theresa Greenfield, 884 to 12 while Ernst, who won the position, was the favorite in Goshen Township at 153-118 and Pike voters also favored the incumbent, 257-167.
For representative to the U.S. Congress in the second district in Iowa Democrat Rita Hart was the favorite of West Liberty voters over Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks, the GOP candidate taking a 738-489 margin in West Liberty 1/Wapsie along with West Liberty 2, 464-160 while Miller-Meeks won in Goshen, 158-123 as well as in Pike at 263-171.
In the Iowa state senate race for District 44, Democrat Tom Courtney won all four area precincts over Republican Tim Goodwin, taking WL 1/Wapsi 696-510, WL 2 by 448-178, Pike by 101-80 and Goshen by one vote, 58-57. Goodwin over the seat with overall state vote.
In the race for state representative in District 88, Republican David Kerr lost WL 1/Wapsi by 650-557, WL 2 by 433-195 but won Pike at 279-150 and Goshen at 187-95. Kerr, the incumbent, won the seat overall in the state vote.
The constitution convention vote failed miserably in the area as well, voters in WL 1/Wapsi turning it down 658-392, WL 2 by 278-262, Pike by 284-80 and Goshen by 189-61.
In the vote for board of supervisors District 3 race for Muscatine County, Democrat Ed Askew carried the local vote in West Liberty, WL 1/Wapsi giving him the nod over incumbent Republican Scott Sauer 676-512 while he won WL 2 by 432-174. In Pike, though, Askew was defeated 2760155 and lost in Goshen as well at 164-108. Sauer won the seat.
In District 4’s race for Muscatine County Board of Supervisor, Servadio Elias was a big winner in West Liberty, but failed to unseat Republican incumbent Nathan Mather. Elias carried WL 1/Wapsi 647-502 and WL 2 by 430-177, but didn’t get votes in Pike, losing 267-150 as well as in Goshen, 172-98.
For Muscatine County Auditor, Democrat Brandy Harfst won West Liberty voters, but failed to beat Republican Tibe Vander Linden while third candidate Mary Mason-Wheeler didn’t get more than 59 votes locally. Harfst won 640-481-59 respectively in WL 1/Wapsi while taking WL 2 by 418-15-43. Vander Linden was a big winner in the smaller communities, carrying Pike with 261-128-36 while she also won Goshen at 160-94-19.
In the race for Muscatine County Sheriff to replace retiring C.J. Ryan, Republican Quinn Riess won the job but did not impress West Liberty voters over Democrat Michael Channon. Riess lost in WL 1/Wapsi 689-515 and WL 2 by 453-164, but won in Pike, 241-191 as well as Goshen, 148-131.
In a race for Muscatine County attorney, West Liberty resident William Tharp was a clear favorite of local voters, sweeping the area precincts although winning by just two votes in Pike, 218-216, over James Barry, who won overall by about 1,200 votes. Tharp carried WL 1/Wapsi overwhelmingly, 816-407, and won WL 2 by 473-149 as well as Goshen, 157-123.
In Pike Township, Andy Carter was elected to township trustee with eight votes while three others had two votes. In Pike Township unexpired, Gene Hammons won the seat with three votes while Brian Egel had two votes and seven others had one vote.
In the race for county soil and water commission seats Stacy Hanson collected 419, 252, 128 and 95 votes from WL 1/Wapsi. WL 2, Pike and Goshen respectively while Scott Eichelberger collected 434, 142, 220 and 141 votes along with John Danner, who was also named to the post, getting 460, 184, 161 and 125 votes respectively.
The next closest candidate, Jane Schroeder, collected 331, 168, 99 and 65 votes from the local precincts respectively while Alyson Glynn had 252, 142, 72 and 47 votes going her direction and Travis Glynn collected 218, 111, 66 and 49 votes locally. Freedom Malik-Roberts saw voters cast 138, 78, 37 and 18 votes respectively in her direction.
In an unopposed race for county agricultural extension council, local votes gave Ezekiel Walker 618, 278, 212 and 133 votes from WL 1/Wapsi. WL 2, Pike and Goshen respectively while Deleta Thurness was voted in by 783, 340, 214 and 161 votes, Eric Furnas by 592, 252, 218 and 148 votes while Betty Collins had 606, 283, 202 and 147 votes go her direction. Lance Rowell also won a seat on the council with 841, 421, 115 and 84 votes.