Lang
11/23/23
A pair of winners in local city council races won’t have to wait until next year to join their respective government bodies.
A rarely-used state election law says councilors who were appointed to fill a remaining term can only serve until after the next election. They are then replaced by the highest vote-getter for that position after the canvass is completed.
That rule allowed Mazahir Salih to be appointed to the Iowa City City Council on Friday, while in Coralville Royce Peterson will likely be sworn in at the next city council meeting on December 12th.
In Iowa City, Salih and Josh Moe won election for a pair of at-large seats on November 7th, with Salih earning more votes. She replaces Andrew Dunn, who was appointed to replace Janice Weiner after she left the council at the beginning of this year after winning a seat in the Iowa Senate.
Peterson will replace Keith Jones, who was appointed in 2021 to fill the seat formerly occupied by Jill Dodds. Dodds resigned after her husband was charged with sexual abuse relating to his daycare business. Peterson and Rich Vogelzang ran unopposed for a pair of Coralville council seats, with Peterson earning more votes.
Dunn ran unopposed in Iowa City District C this election, while Jones declined to seek re-election.
