With the filing deadline officially passed as of 5 p.m. Friday, there are two declared candidates in the race to fill the 4th Ward vacancy left by the death of longtime Marshalltown City Councilor Al Hoop back in March, local REALTOR ® Melisa Fonseca and businessman Mark Eaton.

Fonseca, who graduated from Marshalltown High School in 2014, is a newcomer to local politics, while Eaton, a fellow MHS alum, previously ran for council seats unsuccessfully in 2017 and 2021 and sought the Republican nomination for Marshall County Treasurer in 2022.

Both candidates shared statements about their campaigns when reached by the T-R on Friday. Eaton’s is printed below.

“I am honored that a diverse socioeconomic group of people have given me the opportunity to run for City Council. This special election on July 16 is somewhat difficult, since the party primary elections were held June 4 and we held a special election in March, and we have a national election in November. I hope that everyone is not burnt out on voting and you will make the time to show up for one more election in the middle of your summer vacation,” he said. “The council has a lot to get done: We have a new city administrator and fire chief to hire and a search for a new police chief. In the next eight years, we have six more phases of downtown streets to complete. We have a major repair to the Center Street Viaduct and extensive upgrades to Highland Acres Road to make. Third Avenue from Anson Street to the Iowa River needs to be replaced. Your local streets need work too. These next two terms (eight years) are going to need some experience to navigate through smoothly. If you look at this to-do list, this election is not solely about the 4th Ward. It is really a citywide election. If you don’t live in the 4th Ward, talk to your friends who do. I would appreciate the opportunity to serve the 4th Ward and the whole city.”

Fonseca also provided a statement of her own, and it is printed below.

“I am excited to be on the ballot as a candidate for the 4th Ward city councilor! I am enthusiastic about the next few weeks of the Melisa Fonseca for Marshalltown campaign. Please keep an eye out for more campaign events, which all are invited to, as well as updates on social media and other platforms,” she said. “I look forward to connecting with you, sharing my vision, and working together as a community advocate, proud Bobcat, and neighbor. Thank you.”

The special election will be held July 16. The 4th Ward roughly covers the southeast quadrant of the community, and a detailed map can be found at this link https://elections.marshallcountyia.gov/files/maps/marshalltown_precincts_and_wards_34923.pdf.

Marshall County Auditor/Recorder Nan Benson noted that candidates have until 5 p.m on Monday to withdraw from the race. After that, a programmer will finish the ballot sometime in the near future, and early voting will begin.

“We are tentatively planning the public test the afternoon of June 28, but we need our programmer to confirm,” Benson said. “I have a message out to him. Until we get past Monday’s deadline, we really cannot proceed with him finalizing his work.”

Early voting will be conducted at the Auditor/Recorder’s office on the third floor of the courthouse.

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Contact Robert Maharry

at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.