Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman say Election ballots for the June 3rd Primary were delivered to the Cass County Auditor today (Monday). Sunderman reports  the first day to vote an absentee ballot in the office of the county auditor is Thursday, April 24th, 2014. The polls will be open on election day from 7-a.m. until 9-p.m. Those unable to go to the polls on the day of election, may vote early by mail or, beginning Thursday, April 24th, by going to and voting at the county auditor’s office. In addition to regular office hours, the office of Cass County Auditor will be open Saturday, May 24, 2014 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday, May 31, 2014 from 9 a.m. thru 5 p.m.

The PRIMARY ELECTION is the electoral process used to choose who will run as EACH party’s (Republican or Democratic) candidate for a given office to be voted upon in the GENERAL ELECTION in November. A voter must choose and may vote only one party’s ballot (Republican or Democratic). In order to vote in Iowa a person must be registered in the person’s current county of residence, under the person’s present name, and at the person’s current address. May 24th, 2014 is the last day to pre-register in the office of the County Auditor in order to vote in the 2014 Primary Election. An alternate mail registration form may be used and that needs to be returned by mail or personal carrier to the County Auditor’s office by May 24 also. Forms are available at the county auditor’s office, many State of Iowa service offices and on the Secretary of State’s web site: sos.iowa.gov.

ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION

After 5 p.m. on May 24 a person may register to vote at the auditor’s office and vote an absentee ballot on same visit. A similar process is available at the precinct voting center on election day. The voter must show ID (The ID must include a photo and an expiration date. Acceptable forms of ID are: Iowa driver’s license; Iowa non-operator’s ID; United States passport; United States military ID; ID card from an employer; Iowa student ID; Out-of-state driver’s license; or out-of-state non-operator’s ID.

If the photo ID presented does not contain the voter’s current address in the precinct, one of the following documents that includes the voter’s name and current address in the precinct must be presented: residential lease; utility bill; paycheck; property tax statement; bank statement; government issued check; or other government issued document.

Voters with no ID may establish identity and residence in the precinct by written oath of a person who is registered to vote in the precinct. The process to register on election day (same day registration) is: 1- provide proof of IDENTITY (photo ID); 2- provide proof of RESIDENCY (current address in the precinct); and 3- SIGN AN OATH attesting that the info given is true.)

The county election commissioner recommends that persons who are not currently registered or who have moved since last registering and who are planning to vote in the June PRIMARY ELECTION pre-register in the office of the County Auditor by May 24, 2014, the last day to pre-register. You may pre-register and vote absentee on the same day.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS: Dale Sunderman, Cass County Auditor, also notes that if a person chooses, he/she may request and vote a ballot before election day (called ABSENTEE BALLOT). A signed absentee ballot request form may be mailed or delivered to the county auditor and a ballot will be mailed. Or an absentee ballot may be requested in person at the office of the County Auditor and voted at the auditor’s office immediately on any day the office is open up through the day before election day. Absentee ballots may not be picked up and taken to a voter. Absentee ballots must either be mailed out or the requester may vote the absentee ballot in the auditor’s office.

IF VOTING BY MAIL: A written request on the State required form may be mailed or hand delivered to the County Auditor’s office. Deadline to request that an absentee ballot be mailed is May 30, 2014 at 5 p.m. (Absentee request forms are available at the auditor’s office and on the Secretary of State’s web site: sos.iowa.gov). A ballot along with instructions on how to complete the ballot will be mailed to the requester. For the ballot to be counted, the completed ballot then must be returned either by personal carrier to the office of County Auditor before the close of polls on election day or returned by mail postmarked no later than the day before the election. All ABSENTEE BALLOTS MUST BE RETURNED whether voted or not voted.

IF VOTING AT THE COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE: Beginning Thursday, April 24 the absentee voter may come to the CASS COUNTY COURTHOUSE during the regular office hours of 8 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday, up through the day before the election and cast a ballot. In addition to regular office hours, the office of Cass County Auditor will be open Saturday, May 24, 2014 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday, May 31, 2014 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

FOR THE 2012 PRIMARY ELECTION THERE WILL BE 13 VOTING CENTERS:

1 Atlantic 1st Ward: Zion Lutheran Church (811 Oak St)

2 Atlantic 2nd Ward: Atlantic Public Library (507 Poplar)

3 Atlantic 3rd Ward:.Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th)

4 Atlantic 4th Ward : United Church of Christ (1607 Hazel)

5 Atlantic 5th Ward: Heritage House (1200 Brookridge Circle)

6 Bear Grove,Cass Twp/Lewis: Lewis City Hall

7 Benton, Franklin Twp/Wiota: Wiota City Hall

8 Brighton,Grove,Pymosa,Washington Twp/Marne: Cass County Community Center

9 Edna, Victoria Twp: Massena Public Library

10 Grant, Lincoln Twp /Anita: Anita Community Center (805 Main St)

11 Noble, Pleasant Twp/Griswold: Griswold Community Bldg. (601 2nd St)

12 Massena Twp/City of Massena: Massena Public Library (122 Main St, Massena)

13 Union Twp/City of Cumberland: Cumberland Community Bldg. (200 W 2nd)

If you have questions concerning this or other elections, contact the office of Cass County Auditor/Election Commissioner Dale Sunderman (Phone: 712-243-4570; FAX: 712-243-4572)

The Atlantic Police Department reports four people were arrested over the past few days. On Saturday, 19-year old Christian Sempek, of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Serious Assault. 24-year old Kevin Engles, of Atlantic, was arrested that same day on a warrant for Violation of his Probation, and 21-year old Michelle Buboltz, of Ames, was arrested Saturday for Theft in the 5th Degree/Shoplifting.

On Friday, 31-year old Mike Henson, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While License Revoked. All four individuals were transported to the Cass County Jail and held pending an appearance before the Magistrate.

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs announced last week that it has approved the Iowa Great Places Citizen Advisory Board’s recommendation to award $65,000 to the Museum of Danish America Curatorial Center in Elk Horn, for their Green Roof, and Prairie Installation for landscape enhancements and fabrication, as well as the installation of nine interpretive signs at the new 8,000 square-foot Curatorial Center.

Terri Johnson, Administrative Manager, Museum of Danish America (formerly the Danish Immigrant Museum), says “Funding from the Iowa Great Places program has given the Museum…the opportunity to continue developing its 30-acre Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park.” Johnson says this year, they will install additional interpretive signs, plant trees as well as two rose meadows and install a green roof on a new 8,000 square-foot curatorial center. The green roof will serve as an elevated continuation of the Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park and will be unusual in that it will incorporate prairie grasses and flowers instead of sedums, which are most commonly used on green roofs.

The Danish Villages of Elk Horn and Kimballton received designation as an Iowa Great Place in 2010. Created in 2005, Iowa Great Places now includes 31 Iowa communities. For more information, including Iowa Great Places community profiles, visit www.iowagreatplaces.gov.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – Waterloo officials are considering limiting roadside memorials erected at the site of deadly car crashes.  The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports a majority of the City Council called last week for an ordinance that would set rules for the memorials, such as the allowable size and time they could remain.  Council member David Jones argued “at some point you have to draw the line somewhere.”

However, some council members say the rules would be difficult to enforce. And Mayor Buck Clark says drawing up an ordinance would “open up a can of worms.” Waterloo and most other cities already make it illegal to erect signs or displays in public right of ways, but officials usually allow memorials to crash victims.  Council member Steve Schmitt says guidelines would ensure consistent enforcement.

An Oakland man charged in the fatal shooting of a guest in his home appeared in court last week. Judge James Heckerman set an arraignment hearing date for 63-year old Robert Arthur Reynolds as May 12th, with trial set for July 1st. Reynolds faces a 1st degree murder charge in connection with a shooting during the early morning hours of April 8th, that took the life of 64-year old Patricia Kinkade-Dorsey, of rural Cass County.

Reynolds, who allegedly shot the Kinkade-Dorsey with a semi-automatic handgun, remains held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on $1-million bond.