Urbandale Election: Where To Vote, What's On The Ballot

URBANDALE, IA — One of the lengthiest ballots among metro-area municipal elections can be found in Urbandale, where voters today will decide whether to approve a bond referendum for a new fire station and Dallas County residents in the city will decide whether to implement a one-cent local option sales tax beginning July 2018.

If voters approve the fire station, construction would start in early 2018, with completion in early to mid-2019, Urbandale Fire Chief Jerry Holt told Patch. Urbandale currently operates fire stations at 7100 Douglas Ave. and 3927 121st St. The new station would be located in Walnut Creek Regional Park at 152nd Street and Meredith Drive.

Read More: Learn About Plans For Urbandale's $6 Million Fire Station

Dallas County voters in Urbandale also will choose whether to join the 93 other counties in Iowa that have a countywide local-option sales tax. The outcome will determine whether sales tax should increase by one cent per dollar on sales and services.

But in some communities, the tax could receive voter approval and still fail. While Iowa Code requires passage on a simple majority of 50 percent plus one vote among individual cities voting, cities that share borders vote as a bloc. That means voters in four Dallas County cities — Clive, Urbandale, Waukee and West Des Moines — all have to pass the local-option sales tax vote for it to take effect in any of those areas.

Based on 2016 data from the Iowa Department of Revenue, 1,277 of Iowa's 1,373 communities already have passed a local-option sales tax. Dallas and Polk counties are the largest counties without the majority of cities collecting a local-option sales tax. Only five of Dallas County's 20 cities (Adel, Bouton, Dawson, Perry and Redfield) currently have the additional one-cent tax.

Read More: Dallas County Residents Face Sales Tax Vote

The three candidates running for two at-large seats on the Urbandale City Council will be making their final push today to reach the voters. Those running are:

Michael Sadler, a challenger who says it's important to have broad representation in the community and points out that if elected he would be the only Dallas County resident among the board members. Managing the growth of the community over the next two decades is the pressing issue he sees the council being involved in.

Ron Pogge, a three-term incumbent who said his record of service to the community and his experience qualify him to continue on the council. He said continuing to provide quality services in a cost-efficient manner is the most pressing issue for Urbandale council members, while he also wants to bring more housing options to the city for all ages and income levels, and he wants to see more commercial development, especially in the Urban Loop.

David Russell, who was elected in 2013 to the council. He said he has gained a lot of insight into the community's needs and the operations of the city during his first term and that experience will help guide him as he keeps Urbandale thriving while ensuring a fiscally responsible city government.

Read More: Three-Way Race For Two Urbandale City Council Seats

Polls are open until 8 p.m. You can find your polling place here.

Election 2017: Patch graphic