My name is Joel Miller. I’m the Linn County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections. I was first elected in 2007 and this is my last year in office.
In 2022, I was the Democratic candidate for Iowa Secretary of State. So I’m well-aware that many Iowans did not vote. In 2024, everyone concerned about protecting our right to vote and in guarding against those trying to cheat MUST get out and vote. No excuses. Make a plan to vote. And ask others to do the same.
I want to share a few words with you about what Pat Gill has meant to me over my 17+ years in office as a County Auditor.
I believe I met Pat at an election administrators conference in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2007 or 2008. I had been in office long enough to tangle with my Board of Supervisors, which seems to be a common theme among county auditors. Pat offered some advice on how to handle the situation. From what I’ve been able to see, he has always tried to encourage a pragmatic, professional, and cordial working environment with your local Board of Supervisors. And believe me, this can at times be challenging. But Pat keeps his eyes on the prize and always tries to deliver results for his Woodbury County constituents.
I have always loved talking to Pat. He has creative ideas and he seemed to be always a step or two ahead of me. We enjoyed a friendly rivalry and did lots of brainstorming. Our common theme: Make voting as easy as possible for eligible voters without jeopardizing the integrity of the election.
That’s what we were doing in 2020 when we mailed out absentee ballots request forms ahead of the November general election. Pat had already mailed out the forms in previous election years and had received much positive feedback from his voters … which especially paid off for voters who voted by mail before an election day that occurred during a blizzard. Why not do the same thing during a pandemic?
Unfortunately, President Trump and his allies who were trying to suppress voting numbers didn’t like the idea. And Pat, Travis Weipert – Johnson County Auditor, and I got sued. I think the voters saw those lawsuits for what they were: an attempt to suppress voter turnout. And in the end, Pat, Travis, and I were vindicated by record voter turnout in our counties. We did the right thing by the voters, by the taxpayers, and as election administrators. I have no regrets for my actions. Thank you, Pat, for your support and for being at my side during those stressful times!
As I indicated, I am retiring at the end of the year, but Pat is not.
Pat needs your support in the form of time, talent, and treasure. Now is not the time to trade-in a battle-hardened county auditor for someone with little, if any, experience running elections. You need a county auditor who is clear headed, fair, knowledgeable, and assertive … who cares about election integrity – who cares about people – who cares about customer service – who knows the difference between right and wrong – and who is courageous and unafraid to standup to power.
Woodbury County residents know what kind of man and what kind of elected official Pat Gill is. And that’s the point. He is a known quantity and no one in Woodbury County can run the Office of Woodbury County Auditor & Recorder as good as he has run it the past or will run it in the future. Don’t wake up on November 6th and think, if I’d only done this or that for Pat. Please support Pat now and in this last month before the election. And whether you vote early by mail, at a satellite site, or on election day at your local polling site, please vote Pat Gill for Auditor!