Incumbent Mary Wells wins Polk County treasurer race
Polk County Treasurer Mary Wells won her primary race Tuesday against Chris Cutler, an accountant in the Polk County Auditor's Office.
In unofficial results, Wells defeated Cutler 79% to 21%.
Wells, a longtime community leader, was appointed in 2021 to succeed Treasurer Mary Maloney, who died unexpectedly during her seventh term.
Wells is expected to win the Nov. 8 election because there is no Republican candidate running for the position.
Election results: See Iowa primary election results across the state
More: How the 2 candidates for Polk County treasurer plan to reduce wait times at the office
The county treasurer oversees two main functions: collecting property taxes and issuing vehicle registrations.
Wells is the co-founder and president of Investing in my Future, a Des Moines-based nonprofit established in 2010 to provide programs that assist African-American children in understanding the value of an education and preparing them to be leaders, according to the group's website.
Election results: See Polk County election results as vote counts come in
Before the primary, Wells said her experience managing billion-dollar budgets and investment portfolios set her apart in the race.
"While the Treasurer’s office handles money, it‘s much more than dollars and cents on a budget or spreadsheet. It requires a leader with broad-based experience to provide the service Polk County residents deserve and to be an effective steward of our public funds," Wells said.
Cutler had criticized wait times for service at Wells' office, which grew during the pandemic, and Wells' practice of closing the office every third Thursday of the month for meetings.
This article has been corrected to clarify Mary Wells had not been employed by the treasurer's office before her appointment as treasurer.
Teresa Kay Albertson covers Des Moines' southern suburbs for the Register and the Indianola Record-Herald. Reach her at talbertson@registermedia.com or 515-419-6098.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Longtime community leader wins full term as Polk County treasurer
