Incumbent Joe Gatto wins in Ward 4 Des Moines City Council race

Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register
·2 min read

Joe Gatto has won reelection to the Des Moines City Council, where he’ll represent Ward 4, unofficial election results show.

Gatto, who has been in office since 2014, defeats Jason Benell and Justin Torres, who challenged him for the seat.

Unofficial results from the Polk County Auditor's office show Gatto with 64% over Benell's 24% and Torres' 11%.

"It feels fantastic," Gatto told the Des Moines Register. "I'm humbled to work for the people of Ward 4 again."

Ward 4 covers the southeast part of Des Moines, bound by SW Ninth Street on the west and East University Avenue on the north. It excludes downtown and the East Village.

Gatto, 56, grew up on the south side of Des Moines and graduated from Lincoln High School. He lives in Des Moines.

"I want to work with my community leaders and make sure whatever their plans are, we're gonna get them accomplished, whether that be economic development, whether that be public safety, whether that be infrastructure," Gatto said. "I'm gonna work with them hand in hand, like I've done the last nine years and to make sure their priorities are getting done.

Gatto said in a candidate survey that public safety is the biggest issue facing the community. He said addressing it will require the city to partner with school leaders, provide resources for first responders and advocate for state and federal initiatives to address mental health and substance abuse problems.

Gatto said he believes in accountability and transparency when it comes to policing, and he would push to appoint strong members to the Civil Service Commission to oversee disciplinary matters.

More: Meet the 3 candidates running for the Ward 4 seat on Des Moines City Council in 2023

Torres, 30, grew up in New Jersey and Iowa and lives in the South Park neighborhood of Des Moines. He has not previously held elected office.

Benell, 39, grew up in Moravia, Iowa, and lives in Des Moines. He is a combat veteran who served in Iraq, and he has also served on the Hispanic Educational Resources board, the Bonner County Human Rights task force, the Polk County Democrats central committee and as the president of Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers.

Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa election results: Joe Gatto wins Ward 4 City Council seat