Election 2012: Your Guide to Ankeny's Uncontested and Statewide Races

To kick off our preview coverage of local races on next week's election ballot, here's a rundown of all the uncontested and statewide races you will see.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Polk County Board of Supervisors

In January, Ankeny Mayor Steven Van Oort announced he was running for the revamped 3^rd District seat on the Polk County Board of Supervisors. Van Oort is running as a Republican candidate for the seat, which will represent the cities of Ankeny, Bondurant, Altoona, Mitchellville, Pleasant Hill and other parts of unincorporated eastern Polk County.

He has no challenger in the race.

After Election Day, Van Oort will be required to relinquish his position as Ankeny mayor once sworn in. Someone would then be chosen to complete Van Oort’s term, which expires at the end of 2013, either by city council appointment or special election.

Polk County Sheriff

Current Sheriff Bill McCarthy, Des Moines, is seeking another term and is challenged by Republican Dan Charleston. McCarthy, a Democrat, started at the sheriff's office in 1969 before leaving a year later to work for the Des Moines Police Department. He rejoined the sheriff's office as a chief deputy in 2006.

Charleston has served the county since 1997.

Check here to see a side-by-side comparison of the candidates.

Iowa's Third Congressional District

Democratic incumbent Leonard Boswell was thrown into a new Third District by re-districting and faces what the Des Moines Register is calling an uphill battle for re-election against incumbent Republican Tom Latham, who currently represents Iowa's Fourth District. Both have an agriculture background and a long tenure in Congress — Boswell has served for 15 years and Latham has been in the House of Representatives for 17 years.

Iowa Supreme Court retention

Two years ago Iowans ousted three members of the Supreme Court for their support of a unanimous ruling that allowed same-sex marriage in the state. This November, another justice who took part in that ruling, David S. Wiggins, is up for retention. Also up for retention are the three newest justices on the court, who replaced those who lost their seats. The three new justices on the ballot are Thomas D. Waterman, Edward Mansfield and Bruce Zager.

Follow Ankeny Patch throughout the week for preliminary coverage of all races affecting our town, including the candidates running for House District 37 and 38.