General Election
November 3rd 2026
- Early Voting at the County Courthouse -
October 14th thru November 2nd
Vote early in-person at the the County Courthouse
* Palo Alto County Courthouse
1010 Broadway Street
Emmetsburg, IA 50536​
County Auditor's Office ​
712-852-2924
Open weekdays 8am- 4pm
Any voter who is physically unable to enter a polling place has the right to vote from the voter’s vehicle.
2026 Election Videos
Rep. Stone talks about the Governor’s broad and far-reaching influence over Iowa.
See the Candidates who will be on your your November Ballot.
November 3rd - General Election
Quick Links
October Gubernatorial Debates
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Tuesday, October 6th — 7:00 PM
Hosted by KWQC in Davenport
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Wednesday, October 14th — 7:00 PM
Hosted by KTIV in Sioux City
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Wednesday, October 21st — 7:00 PM
Iowa PBS — 90-minute gubernatorial debate
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Tuesday, October 27th — 6:30 PM
Hosted by KCRG-TV9 and The Gazette in Cedar Rapids
NOTE: You do not have to live in Davenport, Sioux City, or Cedar Rapids to watch these debates. You can stream the debates for free over the internet from anywhere in Iowa.
Congressional Candidates
US Senate
US Senate Debates
- Oct 7th Debate-
- Oct 13TH Debate-
US House 4th District Debate
- Oct 14TH Debate-
Attorney General Debate
- Attorney General Debate-
Palo Alto County Candidates
County Recorder
Sue Ruppert
2026.
I am Incumbent, Sue Ruppert and I have been proud to serve as the Palo Alto County Recorder for the past 10 Years. I started in the office in November of 2006 and was elected as Recorder in 2015.
For two decades, I have dedicated myself to serving Palo Alto County. This is not just a job to me, it is about protecting our community’s records with accuracy, efficiency, and integrity.
If you come into our office, we are dedicated to serving you with a smile and going the extra mile to make sure that you helped satisfactorily. Whether it is a simple question or something a little more challenging, we want to make sure that you get the answers that you are seeking. Our courthouse offices work well together and sometimes it takes a combination of all of us to get your answer.
I am proud to call Palo Alto County my home. I live on an acreage near
Sue Ruppert
Phone: 712-852-3701
Mallard, where my husband and I raised our three kids, who have all chosen to live close by. I understand what matters to our families - keeping our land records secure, our property rights clear and our office accessible to every resident.
Experience matters. I am asking for your vote to continue this work – because Palo Alto County is not just where I work, it is where my family and I have built our lives.
County Attorney
Anne Quail - Incumbent
2026.
Anne Quail
County Treasurer
Robin Jamison - Incumbent
2026.
I am running for reelection to the office of Palo Alto County Treasurer. I have lived in Palo Alto County for over 30 years and have raised my two daughters here with my husband, Jeff. I worked in the Auditors office for 12 years before I ran for Treasurer in 2014. I have been in the Treasurer’s Office since January 2015.
I enjoy working with and for the citizens of Palo Alto County. I am dedicated to the financial stability of the county. I am fortunate to have a great team of people working with me. I feel my knowledge and experience are an asset to the citizens of the county. I look forward to serving Palo Alto County in the future years to come.
Palo Alto County Supervisor Candidates
1st District Supervisor
Keith Wirz - Incumbent
2026.
Precincts WB and MAL
​
2nd District Supervisor
Craig Merrill - Incumbent
2026.
Precincts EM1 and EM2
​
Craig Merrill
​Phone: 712-298-0312
craig.merrill302@gmail.com
5th District Supervisor
Aaron Dietrich
2026.
I am running for the office of Palo Alto County Supervisor District 5. (EM4 Precinct) After growing up on a farm in rural Emmetsburg, I attended the University of South Dakota where I graduated with a BLS degree, then started my own construction company, operating for the last 20 years. I moved back to Emmetsburg 13 years ago with my wife, Laura, to raise our family in the community I grew up in, and run our family farm. I was also a member of the Emmetsburg School Board for 4 years.
I believe my business experience, knowledge of construction, and farming experience will be beneficial in decisions that will need to be made as a supervisor. My reason for running is I want our county to strive and become a stronger county so one day my children might want to live here and raise their families. I would appreciate your vote and support in my decision to run for county supervisor.
Remember to turn your Ballot over for Amendment 1
You might also want to review the 2026 Judicial Performance Review Document from the State of Iowa Bar Association: https://www.iowabar.org/?pg=JudicialEvaluations
Important Election Dates for Voters
​August 25th -
1st day to request an Absentee Ballot
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October 19th by 5:00 PM -
Last day to request Absentee Ballot to be mailed
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October 14th thru November 2nd –
Early Voting at the Courthouse - weekdays 8am - 4pm
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November 3rd –
Absentee Ballot must be in the Auditor’s office by close of polls at 8pm
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General Election Day - Tuesday, November 3rd -
Polls are open 7am-8pm
Poll Finder
Request your Absentee Ballot
August 25th thru October 19th, 2026
The original, signed request form must be received in your County Auditor’s office by 5:00 p.m. on October 19th. 2026.
After receiving your request form, the County Auditor will mail you a ballot.
