Chris Schwartz (Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors At-large, Iowa, candidate 2024)

Chris Schwartz

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Democratic Party

Candidate, Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Personal

Birthplace

Dubuque, Iowa

Religion

Christian: Catholic

Profession

Executive Director

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Chris Schwartz (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors At-large in Iowa. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.^[source]

Schwartz completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Chris Schwartz provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 22, 2024:

• Birth date: March 30, 1980
• Birth place: Dubuque, Iowa
• High school: Dubuque Senior
• Gender: Male
• Religion: Christian: Catholic
• Profession: Executive Director
• Incumbent officeholder: Yes
• Campaign slogan: A progressive who works hard and gets results for Black Hawk County
• Campaign website
• Campaign Facebook
• Campaign Instagram
• Campaign Twitter

Elections

General election

General election for Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors At-large (3 seats)

Incumbent Linda L. Laylin, incumbent Chris Schwartz, Kamyar Enshayan, Justin Brandt, and Fred Peryman ran in the general election for Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors At-large on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Linda L. Laylin (D)
	Submit photo	Chris Schwartz (D)
	Submit photo	Kamyar Enshayan (D)
	Submit photo	Justin Brandt (R)
	Submit photo	Fred Peryman (L)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Schwartz in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Chris Schwartz completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Schwartz's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Chris Schwartz is the Executive Director of the Iowa Food System Coalition and is the current Chair of the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors. For over the last 25 years Schwartz has been a community and political organizer having worked on almost every progressive cause of our times. Prior to joining the Iowa Food System Coalition Schwartz spent the last 18 years as a state and national organizer for Americans for Democratic Action. In 2016 Schwartz made history by becoming the first gay man to hold a countywide office in the state of Iowa when he was elected to the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, he is now in his second term. As a county supervisor Schwartz has been a champion for public health, infrastructure, conservation, and green energy. Schwartz has many active pastimes and hobbies including restoring his historic Waterloo home he purchased with his late husband Logun, traveling, seeking out new local and regional foods. Schwartz studied both political science and music in his time at the University of Northern Iowa where he was first introduced to the local foods movement. He is a multi-instrumentalist and can be found playing electric bass, theremin, and synthesizers in his rock band The Harmony Electric.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Chris Schwartz has been successful in making progress happen here in Black Hawk County no matter the obstacles. With hard work, determination, and innovation Schwartz has delivered results on green energy, workers' rights, conservation, recreational opportunities, equity, public health, mental health, public safety, safer roads, food insecurity, and veterans services.
• Schwartz is a dedicated and proven leader and the only County Supervisor who never misses a board meeting. He shows up and fights for you, he listens and leads with empathy, compassion, and responsibility.
• Schwartz bring two terms of experience to the job and over 20 years of work on public policy. Schwartz keeps a keen eye towards the future and how the decisions made today will impact the growth, resiliency, and viability of our community.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Social justice, climate resiliency, public health, conservation, recreation, responsible budgeting, growth, veterans services, mental health, and infrastructure.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, accessibility, ingenuity, and empathy.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a creative thinker, empathetic, not afraid to stand up to powerful interest.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Responsible budgeting, continuous improvement and modernization of county services, and decisions that promote health, wellbeing, and growth.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to be know for the vast improvements in county services, my work on water quality and flood resiliency, and my unwavering commitment to social justice.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The challenger explosion, I was five.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

house and yard work for my neighbor, for around 15 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

War is a Racket by Smedley S. Butler. It was written during the first part of the 20th century and clearly laid out the issues of corporate greed and the profiteering over suffering from the perspective of the nation's highest decorated war veteran of the time. These issues still plague us today whether it is health care, big pharma, mass incarceration or war, there are too many people profiting off of human suffering.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

George Bailey from It's a Wonderful Life. Someone who just tried hard to do good by people and faced many blows and setbacks because of it, but in the end inspired the good nature in the people of his community.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Werewolves of London, as I prepared my Halloween Play list.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Loosing my husband Logun to suicide has been the greatest challenge of my life. It was something I was not sure I would survive, but I have and am now here still fighting for the causes we both held dear.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Victory Fund, Iowa Unity Coalition, Iowa Federation of Labor/Black Hawk Labor Council.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I hold this in high regard which is why when I was elected I moved to place all meetings on YouTube and social media and have promoted efforts to clearly communicate budget and other important decisions made by the board to the public.

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