Tom Slockett

Having served as Johnson County Auditor for 31 years, Tom Slockett is no rookie to the job. Though the constant change in demographics in a university town can cause some strain on the office, Slockett said he is continually looking to discover new and innovative ways to address conflict.

Slockett, 61, has worked to ease the burden of voting with legislation like the same-day voter registration that was implemented this year. While he urges everyone to vote, he said he understands that circumstances can interfere with voting and said he plans to continue working to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast their ballot.

The veteran auditor boasts an array of accomplishments. Most recently, he said that he completed nine of the 12 courses required to receive a national Certified Registration Administration certification. He also has worked to introduce an all-time record of satellite voting locations as well as processed an all-time record number of registered voters in Johnson County.

Elected to the Executive Council of the UI Center for Human Rights in 2003, Slockett supported the passage of Johnson County's Human Rights Ordinance – making the county the first in the state to do so.

Slockett was appointed by the Iowa Secretary of State to the IVOTERS Standards Board for the implementation of statewide voter registration and elections software. Slockett also implemented a new ballot-marking device in all precincts in 2008.

Slockett said that his years of experience as auditor should make voters confident he will continue to serve Johnson County residents as long as needed.

He calls himself a "pioneer" in satellite voting and said that he consistently works to lower barriers to people with disabilities to overcome voting challenges.

Hanna Gugliuzza

Hanna Gugliuzza, 24, looks to unseat current veteran Auditor Tom Slockett to change the face of the office, she said. Gugliuzza has worked closely with the polls since 2004 and was a previous employee in the Johnson County Auditor's Office.

Having experience with both business and accounting as a previous small-business owner, Gugliuzza said she knows how to be fiscally responsible for the county —something she said Slockett does not.

As an Independent, Gugliuzza — who was nominated by petition — said she is running because citizens have expressed concerns regarding ballots being counted. As a result, she said her first mission, if elected, is to establish a uniform procedure for handling ballots. Also, she said she plans to track and protect each ballot in a manner set forth by the Iowa Election Code.

Gugliuzza said she plans to bring a new organizational system into the Auditor's Office that will enhance productivity in a more efficient manner. This can be done by keeping employees in the office for longer periods of time, she said.

She also plans to work with the records office to create an effective method of analyzing boundaries and zoning issues in the county. This will also include properly archiving records so they can be recalled to educate in the future.

Gugliuzza, a life-long resident of Johnson County, has worked in various positions including sales, design, consulting, manufacturing, childcare, customer service, management, advertising, and election programming.

Running on what she says is "no political agenda," Gugliuzza plans to reduce county expenses and increase county residents' confidence in every department in the Auditor's Office. Sustainability remains a major theme for Gugliuzza's campaign, and she plans to implement innovative new technology policies to "bring the county into the 21st century."