ELECTION 2024 - Grassley outdistances Ellerbroek in race for State House District 57

      BUTLER COUNTY – New Hartford Republican Pat Grassley earned his 10^th term in the Iowa House of Representatives Tuesday night, outdistancing Wartburg College professor and Democrat Shawn Ellerbroek by a margin of more than 20 percent.

      Grassley, who has served as Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives since 2020, finished with 10,852 votes (60.2 percent) while Ellerbroek finished with 7,165 (39.7 percent). There were also 18 write-in votes.

      Absentee voters made up a large percentage of ballots cast, with the County Auditor’s office reporting 2,592 absentee votes cast, representing 25.2 percent of the county’s 10,277 registered voters.

      In other races, Butler County voters approved a measure for a 14 percent surtax to support EMS services by a 61.5 percent to 38.5 percent margin. They also reelected County Sheriff Jason Johnson, County Auditor and County Supervisor Greg Barnett, all of whom were running unopposed.

      Butler County voters also supported former president Donald Trump (R) in the race for president by a 71.9 percent to 26.7 percent margin over Vice-President Kamala Harris (D) and Republican Ashley Hinson over Democrat Sarah Corkery by a 74.3 percent to 24.3 percent margin.

      All results are preliminary and unofficial. Official results will be released once they are canvassed by the Butler County Board of Supervisors next week.