Elections

Kerrey trumpets Obama's ability to bring change in Le Mars stop (09/30/08)
U.S. Senator and former Nebraska governor Bob Kerrey stopped by Le Mars Monday during an Iowa stump tour for presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama. Kerrey said he admired both Obama and Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate for president...

General election absentee ballots available (09/25/08)
Absentee ballots for the Nov. 4 general election are available to voters as of today (Thursday), according to officials at the Plymouth County Auditor's Office. A request form is required to receive an absentee ballot, whether in the Auditor's office or by mail. Request forms are available in the Auditor's Office or may be found online at www.co.plymouth.ia.us/Departments/audito... and clicking on the Absentee Ballot link...

School board waits on decision about future levy (09/23/08)
The Le Mars Community School board won't decide whether or not to make another try at starting the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) until November. Monday night's board of education meeting was the first opportunity for board members to discuss together the outcome of the Sept. 9 ISL vote...

Voters turn down ISL for Le Mars schools (09/10/08)
Le Mars Community School District voters said "no" to starting an Instructional Support Levy by 49 votes in Tuesday's election. District residents cast 1,880 "yes" votes (49 percent) for the adoption of the funding source for the district's general fund budget, with 1,929 "no" votes (51 percent) cast. The decision needed a simple majority to pass...

Voters narrowly turn down ISL (09/10/08)
With nearly half the Le Mars Community Schools district turning out to vote Tuesday, the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) was defeated by a narrow margin. Only 49 votes were between the "no" vote, which won, and the "yes" vote for the ISL, which would have brought in money for teachers, programs, textbooks and transportation fuel at LCS. The ISL program would have raised money through a combination of state aid, property tax and income tax...

Do your duty - vote (09/08/08)
It's the end of a era. With the passage of a new law by the Iowa Legislature, terms of school board members will grow to four years. Each school district in the state has submitted plans with the Iowa Secretary of State as to how they will phase in these new terms...

Hubler issues challenge to King in congress race (09/05/08)
"If you like what you've had for the last six years, vote for Steve King. But if you want change, vote for Ron Hubler." This is the challenge Hubler, democratic candidate for the 5th U.S. Congressional District of Iowa, announced during a short stop in Le Mars Wednesday...

School election absentee ballots still available (09/02/08)
School board elections for Plymouth County school districts will be Tuesday, Sept. 9. In the Le Mars Community School District, polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. where voters will cast their ballots for two director seats, and give a "yes" or "no" vote on the Instructional Support Levy request...

Questions answered on school levy issue (08/29/08)
Two public information meetings brought approximately 75 Le Mars Community School District residents out to learn about the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) Wednesday and Thursday evenings. A vote on whether to implement the levy will be held on Sept. 9, the same day as school board elections...

Supervisors approve buying trailer for voting machines (08/20/08)
Election workers will have the help of a cargo trailer to haul voting machines to the polls in September. The Plymouth County Supervisors approved purchasing the single-axle enclosed cargo trailer with a ramp for $3,000 Tuesday. The handicap-accessible voting machines weigh 89 pounds, which K. Kae Meyer, Plymouth County auditor, said she can't lift nor does she expect her staff too...

Merrill council urges 'Yes' vote for ISL (08/20/08)
The Merrill City Council is officially encouraging people to vote in favor of the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) which would raise money for the Le Mars Community School District. During its Monday meeting, the council passed a resolution stating its council "encourages all those eligible to vote YES" to the ISL...

School election absentee ballots available (08/18/08)

Wind blows Texas oilman in to Le Mars to talk energy (08/15/08)
He may be 80 but an audience member still called T. Boone Pickens a "rockstar." The Texas oilman and billionaire landed his jet at the Le Mars airport Thursday afternoon to spin to Iowans his plan for reducing U.S. dependency on foreign oil. His idea: shift to using more wind energy and natural gas -- two things in which the nation is rich...

Trailer could make poll workers' job easier (08/13/08)
An enclosed cargo trailer could help election workers transport voting machines to the polls. The Plymouth County Supervisors looked at purchasing a $3,000 trailer on Tuesday, but tabled the discussion until their meeting next week. Auditor K. Kae Meyer said the cost of the trailer could be taken from her her department's budget...

Fairgoers rate economy first in election (07/31/08)
Presidential candidates better know more about money than how to spend it, according to a survey conducted at the Plymouth County Fair. In a questionaire given to 500 voting-age fairgoers at the Plymouth County Republicans' booth, responders solidly placed "The Economy" as the leading issue that would influence their vote...

LCS board puts ISL issue to voters (07/28/08)
Le Mars Community School District residents will cast their vote on Sept. 9 on whether the district will participate in the Instructional Support Levy. The school board met at noon Friday to hold a public hearing on the resolution to participate. After hearing from two members of the public, the board unanimously passed the resolution and set the date for the vote...

LCS board tries again for instructional support levy (06/10/08)
The Le Mars Community School Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution to participate in the Instructional Support Program for a five-year period beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. This is the board's second attempt to implement the instructional support levy (ISL). A petition by district patrons put the same issue to a vote in March, when it was defeated...

Loutsch defeats Schneider in county supervisor race (06/04/08)
Republican challenger Mark Loutsch unseated incumbent John Schneider as the District 2 Plymouth County supervisor in Tuesday's primary election. Based on unofficial numbers, Loutsch brought in 682 votes compared to Schneider's 386. As he celebrated with family Tuesday night, Loutsch said he was surprised at the wide gap in the number of votes between himself and Schneider, but that the people had spoken...

Six county residents on the ballot June 3 (05/30/08)
Voters will go to the polls for the primary election Tuesday, June 3, to pick candidates from their party to face off in the November general election. Six Plymouth County residents are running for county offices. On the Republican side, Mark Loutsch and incumbent John Schneider are competing for the District 2 seat on the county board of supervisors. ...

June 3 primary polling places set (05/30/08)
Polls for the June 3 primary election will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 13 precincts in Plymouth County. At the primary election, voters will choose either a Democrat or Republican ballot. Voters may change their party affiliation at the polling site, according to deputy auditor Cheri Nitzschke. "This will change their party at that time, and they cannot change back until after the (primary) election is over," she explained...

Feenstra says focus on results would drive his work as senator (05/29/08)
Randy Feenstra traces his path to politics back to selling candy. Feenstra, of Hull, is running unopposed in the June 3 primary for the Republican nomination to the Iowa Senate seat vacated by Dave Mulder. The Dordt College graduate, now the Sioux County Treasurer, worked seven years as the head of sales at the Foreign Candy Company...

LCS board looks at new ISL request (05/12/08)
A timeline prepared by Le Mars Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt indicates the board of education may soon begin the process to implement an Instructional Support Levy for the district. The Instructional Support Levy combines state funds, property tax and income surtax as a funding source for school districts. Le Mars Community School District voters defeated the ISL request in March...

Absentee ballots for June 3 primary available (04/25/08)
Plymouth County voters who don't plan to be at the polls on June 3 for the primary election can apply now to get their absentee ballots. A registered voter may vote absentee in the auditor's office in the courthouse 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The auditor's office will also be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 24 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 31...

LCS board sets two special meetings on budget reductions (03/25/08)
The Le Mars Community School Board Monday night set two special meetings to deal with budget reductions following the "no" vote on the Instructional Support Levy by district voters on March 18. The board must cut $272,298 from the proposed 2008-09 budget. That was the amount budgeted with the intent of the ISL being approved...