Two familiar people will be on the Sioux City Council for the next four years, as Sioux City voters on Tuesday returned Bob Scott as mayor and Julie Schoenherr as a council member.
Scott was unopposed on the ballot, while Schoenherr was narrowly victorious over Tom Murphy, a former longtime city employee who wanted to join the council.
Scott got more than 5,200 votes.
Schoenherr, a restaurant owner, won a second four-year term on the council after first winning in 2019. Murphy retired in 2022 from several roles as a longtime city of Sioux City employee. Schoenherr received 3,159 votes, compared to 3,051 for Murphy.
When one-third of the 18 precinct ballots had been counted by about 8:30 p.m, the race was dead even, 574 to 574. That closeness was maintained as the precinct results rolled in.
Schoenherr’s victory turned on the early absentee votes, as she outpolled Murphy by 220 votes in that category.
Scott has now been selected as mayor eight times, including four by city voters, winning those elections in 2011, 2015, 2019, and now 2023. Previously he won other terms when selected as mayor from among council members back in the 1980’s and 1990’s, before the change to direct election of mayors.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to serve as mayor for another four years. It is an honor and privilege to be able to serve our citizens,” Scott said Tuesday evening.
The 2023 municipal election cycle in Iowa saw people determining city mayors, city council members, and public school board members. Some county auditors were forecasting voter turnout in the vicinity of 15 percent.
Voter turnout in Sioux City was about 25 percent.
