Government

Of Benton County's 17,910 Registered Voters, there were a total of 3,817  or 21.31% votes cast. In 2016's presidential primary year, there was roughly a 14% turnout.3,414 absentee ballots were sent out with 2,909 returned, 23 were surrendered at the polls and the voter cast their ballot in person. There were a total of 903 voters at the polls today with 17 registering to vote.

May 29, 2020                 The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in regular session with Supervisors Bierschenk and Seeman present, Primmer participated via zoom, and Bierschenk acted as Chair and called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.   Members of the public were provided the zoom access capability to join in during open session and watch live at the county’s YouTube channel.

Benton County Public Offices Phased Reopening Guidelines Effective Monday, June 15, 2020PURPOSEDue to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affecting this Country, including Iowa and Benton County, the Benton County Board of Supervisors has established recommended guidelines for reopening of County owned facilities to the public. It is imperative that the business services provided by Benton County government continue to be provided to our citizens, so these guidelines are put in place to reduce the potential risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus to our employees and visitors.

Using a 3-level procedure to open their parks, Benton County Conservation announced today that effective June 5, 2020, all shower houses and modern restrooms will be open to the public. This is based on Level-2 recommendations.Patrons are asked to provide hand sanitizer/and or soap, as these items may not be available. Latrines have been open to the public since late May.

May 26, 2020                 The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in regular session with Supervisors Primmer, Bierschenk and Seeman were present. The meeting was called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.   Members of the public were provided the zoom access capability to join in during open session and watch live at the county’s YouTube channel.

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On Monday, June 1, Gov. Reynolds signed the following bills into law: HF2454: A bill for an act relating to qualifications for community college career and technical education instructors. HF2475: A bill for an act relating to the review and permitting of sewer extensions and water supply distribution system extensions, and including effective date provisions.

 All Charges are subject to review by The Benton County Attorney’s Office. An arrest or criminal charge is merely an accusation and the Defendant is presumed innocent, unless proven guilty. Intrastate Warrants are issued by Law Enforcement Agencies for crimes happening in their jurisdictions.  Adult Arrests ​May 25​​Charles Gene Hartman​​64​​Marion, IowaCharged with Operating While Under the Influence and Driving While License Denied, Suspended, Cancelled or Revoked.

Iowa continues to ease business restrictions over the next few weeks. Starting May 28, bars, wineries, breweries, and distilleries will be able to reopen. On June 1, casinos, bowling alleys, amusement parks, skating rinks, outdoor performance venues, and outdoor playgrounds will also be able to reopen. Just like all previous reopenings, these entities must allow for the use of social distancing, they must follow public health guidelines to protect staff and patrons, and may only operate at 50 percent capacity.

(Editor's note: This article would be worth sharing across all Social Media platforms due to the changes caused by COVID-19)Polling places for the Primary on Tuesday will be open. Precinct locations are listed below. Please check for your polling place. The courthouse will NOT be used as a polling place for this election. There will be fewer workers for this election with workers being provided face shields for poll workers and masks will also be provided.