Election Heads Into Uncharted Territory

Mahaska County Supervisor Henry Willie Van Weelden sits at his desk moments before leading the meeting that will certify the primary election in Mahaska County. Van Weelden was the lowest vote getter in the Republican primary, and will not be on the ballot in November.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The primary election for Mahaska County Supervisor on the Republican ticket very possibly has no equal in the history of the county.

When the votes were canvased on Monday afternoon, a single vote separates two Republican candidates for Mahaska County Supervisor, Steve Parker and Paul De Geest.

There remained three outstanding absentee votes that will not be counted because their deadline has come and gone without receipt of the ballots.

De Geest has requested a recount of the election, something else that no one familiar with Mahaska County elections believes has happened before.

There are now 18 days to hold the recount, and each candidate will select a delegate to represent them, and they must then agree on a third. No date for the recount has been officially set at this time.

Paul De Geest did win the Democratic primary and could be on the ballot as a Democrat in November if he accepts that write-in nomination. Enough Democrats voted for the former Mahaska County Sheriff that he exceeded the 35% needed for a nomination.

De Geest, in a phone interview after the canvas, said he was previously unaware that he had enough write-in votes from the Democratic primary, that he could be on the ballot in November.

De Geest, who had just found out about that possibility during his interview with Oskaloosa News, said, “to be honest with you Ken, at this point, I’m not 100% sure what’s going to happen just yet.”

De Geest was going to weigh his options between the recount and then move on from there.

‘I’d just like to see where everything comes out here and try to make a rational decision from there,” said De Geest in closing.

Republican Primary

*Steve Wanders 1170
*Steve Parker 1113
Paul De Geest 1112
Henry Van Weelden 1026

Democratic Primary

*Paul De Geest 44
Henry Van Weelden 18
Steve Wanders 8
Steve Parker 6

Libertarian Primary

Paul De Geest 3
Henry Van Weelden 3
Paul Versteeg 1
Steve Wanders 1

* Current party nominee before the recount