As voters head to the polls on Election Day, it is a good time to look back at the history of elections in Wapello County and how the community’s voting traditions have changed over the years.
Ottumwa’s political history dates back to 1857, when the community officially became an incorporated city with a mayor and common council. According to the History of Wapello County, Iowa, Duane F. Gaylord was elected Ottumwa’s first mayor during the city’s early organization.
That first city government also included a recorder, treasurer, solicitor, assessor, marshal and aldermen, establishing the foundation for local government in Ottumwa.
Wapello County’s Presidential Voting History
Presidential elections have provided an interesting look at how voting patterns in Wapello County have changed over the decades.
Looking at more recent elections, Wapello County supported Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore in 2000, John Kerry in 2004, and Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012.
The county shifted to Republican presidential candidates beginning in 2016, when Donald Trump carried Wapello County. Trump also won the county in 2020 and 2024.
In the 2024 presidential election, Trump received 9,479 votes in Wapello County, compared with 4,896 votes for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
These results demonstrate how the county’s presidential voting patterns have changed over the past 25 years.
Local Elections Have Their Own History
Presidential elections are only one part of the voting process. Local elections have also played an important role in shaping Ottumwa and surrounding communities.
Voters have helped select mayors, city council members, school board members, county officials and other representatives responsible for local government decisions.
Wapello County election records include city and school elections, special elections, primary elections and general elections. In 2015, for example, Ottumwa voters considered several City Council candidates, including Victor Streeby, Marc E. Roe, John Richards and Don Lewis.
In 2019, Iowa began combining city and school elections in November of odd-numbered years, changing the way many local elections are scheduled.
A Tradition That Continues
Today, the Wapello County Auditor’s Office oversees elections, including voter registration, absentee voting, polling locations and the counting of ballots.
Election records are also available online, allowing residents to look back at previous election results and see how local voting history has evolved.
From Ottumwa’s first mayoral election in 1857 to today’s presidential, state and local elections, voting has remained an important part of how residents help shape their communities.
As another Election Day arrives, Wapello County voters continue a tradition that has been part of the community for generations.
