22 Legally-cast, Uncounted Votes Will Put Hart Ahead by Nine Votes

Sadie Rhomberg is a Johnson County resident who is completing her college education at the University of Illinois – Chicago. With her studies keeping her away from voting in-person, Ms. Rhomberg opted to vote safely by mail with her absentee ballot. Unfortunately, when she received her ballot, the affidavit envelope was already sealed. In sworn affidavits, Rhomberg and her mother, Susan Johnson, attest that the ballot envelope was sealed when it was received and that Johnson reached out to the county auditor’s office on her daughter’s behalf to ensure that tape was permissible to seal the envelope. They were assured this was acceptable, but Rhomberg’s vote was ultimately not counted as a result.

Despite Rhomberg and Johnson going to great lengths to make sure the vote counted, Ms. Rhomberg is one of the 22 voters whose legally-cast ballots were never counted in the race for Iowa’s Second Congressional District.

“I later found out that my ballot was not counted due to an issue with the envelope. So, yeah I was pretty disappointed because voting is very important to me as a woman and as an American citizen, I think it’s important to exercise your vote, your right to vote. And I was very sad to hear that my vote wasn’t counted because it’s important to me,” Johnson County voter Sadie Rhomberg said.

Following an initial state recount process that left thousands of ballots in question, Iowa Second Congressional candidate Rita Hart filed a Notice of Contest with the U.S. House of Representatives which details 22 legally-cast ballots like Ms. Rhomberg’s that were unlawfully excluded from the state-certified results. To read the full Notice of Contest click here. Ms. Rhomberg’s affidavit can be found on page A-101 and her mother Ms. Johnson’s affidavit can be found on page A-79.

The Iowa Democratic Party is highlighting those 22 uncounted voters to emphasize the U.S. House’s responsibility to ensure that every Iowan’s voice is heard. The project comes as several of the disenfranchised voters have spoken out, demanding that their votes be counted.