Editor’s note: This is a condensed version of the article printed on Oct. 1. 

Ames City Council elections will be taking place on Nov. 3, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Five candidates are running for three open seats on the council, two of whom are running for re-election.

Here are the candidates for each ward and their stance on issues relevant to Iowa State students and Ames community members.

At-large seat

Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen and Matt Converse are running against one another for the at-large seat on Ames City Council, neither of whom have been on the council previously.

Beatty-Hansen is the operations manager at Wheatsfield Cooperative. If elected, she will focus on the issues of affordable and accessible housing and transportation within Ames. 

“We need to make sure that our transportation system will be able to take us into the future,” Beatty-Hansen said.

Beatty-Hansen said she thinks she would bring a fresh perspective to the council and on these issues.

Converse, owner of Converse Conditioned Air, said he would like to see more local internship opportunities for Iowa State students so they don’t have to uproot themselves for a summer or semester.

Transportation is another issue Converse plans to address. Some of those changes, he said, need to be making CyRide available for everyone, traffic flow adjustments to Duff Avenue and throughout the city as well as the extension of Grand Avenue to 16th Street.

Converse said these changes need to happen with the future in mind.

“Iowa State isn’t going to stop at 36,000 students,” Converse said.

Converse also said he wants to see an increase in the quality of life by modernizing the city’s parks and providing an increase in retail. 

“There’s no reason why a regional community like Ames should have people driving to Des Moines to shop,” Converse said.

Ward 4

Chris Nelson is running for re-election of the seat for Ward 4 against Dan DeGeest.

Nelson was elected to a two-year term on the council, due to redistricting, and is the vice president of Nelson Electric Company.

Nelson’s biggest concern lies in housing and rent affordability as well as affordable housing for low to moderate income families. Nelson said this affects everyone, including students.

He said high housing rates don’t help retain students in Ames and he would like to see students take jobs here in Ames.

“We have jobs,” Nelson said. “We want people to stay here. We want them to be a vibrant part of the community.”

Transportation, infrastructure and quality of life are more focuses of Nelson’s.

Nelson said he’d like to see less business being lost to Des Moines, and to continue activities and events in Campustown and downtown Ames.

DeGeest is a software developer at Workia in Iowa State Research Park, and he keeps students in mind on his focus for city council as he challenges Nelson for the fourth ward seat.

DeGeest said student input is valued and encourages them to vote. He also said students needed to be integrated into the community, and hopes students will stay in Ames after graduation.

“The students plus ISU is what makes Ames have all the great things it has,” DeGeest said.

Transportation is a another issue of DeGeest’s focus, and has been active on working with the city and the Ames Bicycle Coalition to make Ames transportation more multi-modal. 

He said having people out walking in the community makes people feel more at home and as if they are a part of something.

“I want to work on things that promote that,” DeGeest said.

DeGeest said he would also love to see Campustown to be continued to be revitalized, and to work on reducing the housing challenges for students and for people under the moderate income level.

Ward 2

Tim Gartin is the only candidate running for re-election for the seat in the second ward. He has served a two-year term on the council and is also an attorney in Ames.

Gartin’s biggest passion lies in his goal to get more volunteering within outreach programs in the city, such as Youth and Shelter Services and the Boys and Girls Club. He also said there is a lack of foster homes within Ames, an issue that needs to be addressed.

Gartin also wants to continue to work on affordable housing. He said there is a reoccurring problem in the city of residents who work in Ames, but can’t afford to live in the community.

“We lose people every day to Ankeny and surrounding communities,” Gartin said.