IOWA CITY — Voters in Iowa City Council District A vote Tuesday in a primary that will decide which candidates’ names appear on the November ballot.
The district, which covers the southwest portion of the city, has three candidates vying to represent it on the Iowa City Council: Laura Bergus, Tim Borchardt and Pauline Taylor. Voters will be able to select one candidate. The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 7 election.
Taylor currently represents District A on the Iowa City Council. Bergus serves on the council in one of four at-large seats. Borchardt is seeking his first term on the city council.
Iowa City requires a primary if five or more candidates are nominated for an at-large seat, and if three or more candidates file for a district seat.
Primary elections for Iowa City Council are relatively rare. According to Johnson County, the last time Iowa City had a primary for a regular city council election cycle was 2011. A primary was needed for a special election in fall 2018.
If a primary election is necessary for a district seat, only the voters who live in that district can vote in the primary. However, for the November election, all Iowa City voters – regardless of their district – can vote to decide a district winner.
Polling places in District A are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Voters can find their polling places at gis.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/pollingplaces.
Results of the primary election will be available online after polling places close at 8 p.m. Find results at johnsoncountyiowa.gov/october-10-2023-iowa-city-district-primary.