With the passing of the filing deadline for the upcoming city and school election, several area governing bodies including the City of Tama and South Tama County schools will see races for seats on their boards.

Two council seats are up for election for the City of Tama, including those occupied by Emily Babinat and Matthew Beatty.

Both Babinat and Beatty have filed for reelection, as have a trio of challengers including Kristy Eisentrager, Brian Hanus and Randy Fairchild.

The two individuals receiving the most votes in November will be elected to fill the council positions.

The terms for Mayor Doug Ray and council members Anne Michael, Larry Thomas and Aaron Haughey are not up for election this year.

In Toledo, the near opposite situation is occurring with two of their three incumbent council members running for reelection and no additional people filing to challenge for the seats.

Council members Cathy Cook and Duane Pansegrau each filed to run for reelection, while council member Darvin Graham did not.

Since only two individuals filed for election, Graham’s seat will be filled by whomever receives the most write-in votes.

The terms for council members Joe Boll and Jeremy Cremeans are not up for election in 2021.

Mayor Brian Sokol filed to run for another two-year term with no challengers filing by the Sept. deadline.

The South Tama County Board of Education is sure to see two new faces when the next term begins as incumbents Ron Houghton and Alan Kline did not file for reelection.

In Houghton’s District 1 territory, three candidates have emerged that will compete for the open seat. They include Elizabeth Dolezal, Tessa Matherly and Nikki Kemper Pansegrau, all from Toledo.

In Kline’s District 4 territory, only Beth Wiese of Montour will be on the ballot.

Voters in Montour and Chelsea will also see contested elections this year.

In Montour council member Vicky Garske is running for mayor to replace Adam Damman, who did not file for reelection.

Garske’s seat, along with two others held by Mark Legg and Dave Heckman are also up for election in November.

Heckman will join five challengers on the ballot including Kelsey Staker, Susan Eberhart, Doris Walsh and Alan Kelley vying for the three open seats.

Council member Mark Legg did not file for reelection and the terms of members Jeff Hermanstorfer and Charles Bidwell are not up this cycle.

In Chelsea, Mayor Craig Forcht will see a challenge by Leif Morris for the mayor’s seat.

Council incumbent Amy Walters has filed for election, while member Doris Frese has not.

Also on the ballot will be Melissa Ospichack, who will be running for one of the two open council seats along with Walters.

In the small communities of Elberon and Vining, the election scenario is a familiar one.

None of Vining‘s current officials, including Mayor Steve Rouse, Merlin Rouse, Todd Apfel, Jill Apfel, Arlo Cibula and Brody Boldt filed for reelection.

The six posts that are set at two-year terms will be determined by write-in votes in November.

Elberon meanwhile, will see four individuals on the ballot for city council including Adam Glunz, Judy Upah, Rynonda Franzen and Linn Snell, as well as Scott Pippert who is running for mayor.

Don Curry’s council seat is not up for election in 2021.

Those wishing to vote absentee in November must turn in a request form to the Tama County Auditor’s office no later than Oct. 18.

New this year is a provision that requires all absentee ballots to be into the Auditor’s office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Postmarks or bar codes printed on ballot envelopes will no longer make a ballot received after Election Day valid except ballots from participants in the Safe at Home program received by the Secretary of State in time to be transmitted to the County Auditor by noon on the Monday following the election and ballots from uniformed and overseas citizens received by noon on the Monday following the election.

Polls will be open for the city/school election on November 2, 2021, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.