Des Moines Education Association: It's Election Time!

Des Moines Education Association: It's Election Time!:

It's Election Time!

by Andrew Rasmussen

September 27 is the first day that voters in Iowa can start voting by absentee ballot or at satellite voting stations. We hope every DMEA member votes in the upcoming election and encourage you to consider voting absentee. One of the benefits of casting an absentee ballot early is that your name will be taken off the calling lists of candidates and political parties! If you wish to vote by absentee ballot print off a copy of an absentee ballot request form (LINK), send it in, and in a few days your ballot will arrive. Mark your ballot and send it back in and you have completed your civic duty!

Need to register to vote? Click HERE

Need to find locations of satellite voting stations near you? Click HERE

When voting we hope you consider supporting the ISEA recommended candidate for state legislature in your district. If you are not sure what legislative district you live in you can find out by check your voter registration card or visit the Polk County Auditor's website to check the maps of legislative districts.

A little background on how a candidate gets "recommended" by ISEA:

The ISEA Political Action Committee (PAC) is used exclusively for Iowa Governor, Senate, House, and school board elections. The committee is composed of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans with the single goal of electing pro-education candidates. The voting record of incumbents is reviewed by members of the PAC, and those incumbents who have voted consistently for pro-education legislation may be recommended as "friendly incumbents." All other candidates running for office are invited to interview with local interview teams made up of members, and those candidates who are pro-public education may be recommended by the ISEA.

For the purposes of the ISEA PAC, pro-education means candidates whose answers to questions about education, working conditions, and employee benefits most closely reflect the views of the Association.

Here is a list of ISEA recommended candidates in the legislative districts around the Des Moines metro:

DES MOINES

House District 31 (East side of DSM and Pleasant Hill) – Rick Olson

House District 32 (North/central side of DSM) – Ruth Ann Gaines

House District 33 (Southeast side of DSM) – Kevin McCarthy

House District 34 (Southwest side of DSM) – Bruce Hunter

House District 35 (West side of DSM) – Ako Abdul Samad

House District 36 (Far west side of DSM) – Marti Anderson

House District 41 (Far southwest side of DSM/West DSM) – Jo Oldson

Senate District 16 (East side DSM) – Dick Dearden

Senate District 18 (West side of DSM) – Janet Peterson

THE ‘BURBS

House District 25 (Norwalk) – Katie Routh

House District 26 (Carlisle) – Scott Ourth

House District 30 (Altoona/Bondurant) – Joe Riding

House District 38 (Southside of Ankeny/Saylorville Township) – John Phoenix

House District 39 (Grimes/Johnston) – Kelsey Clark

House District 40 (Urbandale) – John Forbes

House District 43 (Clive) – Susan Judkins

House District 44 (Waukee) – Eric Brenneman

Senate District 10 (Grimes/Urbandale) – ISEA action pending

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION:

The NEA has endorsed re-electing Barack Obama for President

CONGRESSIONAL RACES:

The candidates for the House of Representatives for this congressional district are...

- Leonard Boswell (D)

- Tom Latham (R)