Easley, Voss headed to runoff for Des Moines at-large city council seat

Jacquie Easley and Carl Voss are headed to a runoff election for a Des Moines City Council at-large seat. 

Voss, who owns a custom publishing group, was the top vote-getter in Tuesday's city election, with 40% of the vote. He received 9,259 votes.

Easley, the community well-being and diversity director at MercyOne Medical Center, received 4,724 votes (20.4%) to finish second. 

Five other candidates split the remainder.

Since neither Voss nor Easley received more than 50% of the total vote, they will face each other in a runoff Dec. 3.

"I'm really humbled to receive so many votes," Voss told the Des Moines Register on Tuesday night. "To get over 9,000 votes the first time that you go out seeking a public office — I'm pretty proud of that. Proud and humbled."

More:Election results from Polk, Dallas counties

Des Moines residents cast 23,151 votes in the race Tuesday. The other candidates received the following vote totals:

• Marco Battaglia: 2,321 (10%)
• Marlu Abarca: 2,138 (9.2%)
• Marlon Mormann: 1,809 (7.8%)
• Sheila Knoploh-Odole: 1,538 (6.6%)
• Ethan Standard: 1,239 (5.6%)

Easley on Tuesday night said she was encouraged that her platform appeared to resonate with voters. Her campaign has emphasized improving infrastructure, adding affordable housing and funding a mobile mental-health crisis unit. 

“I think I've stayed on target with my ‘Bridging the Gap’ theme,” she said. “I definitely am encouraged that the voters heard my message.”

She said she plans to spend the next month reaching out to more Des Moines residents who may not have taken a look at her in the initial phase of the election. 

Voss — whose campaign has emphasized fixing streets, youth mental health and water quality — said he plans to keep his campaign message positive and issue-driven in the coming month.

"We've knocked a lot of doors already," he said. "We'll knock more doors." 

The at-large seat is currently held by Chris Coleman, who is not seeking reelection after serving on the council for 21 years.

All results are unofficial until certified by the local boards of supervisors. 

Ian Richardson covers Ankeny and Altoona for the Register. Reach him at irichardson@registermedia.com, at 515-284-8254, or on Twitter at @DMRIanR.

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