Pella, Iowa, Proposition A, Structure of Library Board of Trustees Initiative (November 2023)

Pella Proposition A
Election date November 7, 2023
Topic Special district governance
Status Defeated
Type Initiative

Pella Proposition A was on the ballot as an initiative in Pella on November 7, 2023. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported this ballot initiative to:  allow the Pella City Council to amend or repeal library policies, rules, and regulations and replace language saying the Pella Library Board of Trustees can authorize librarians to select and purchase books and media with language saying the Board can make recommendations regarding the selection and purchase of books and media.

A "no" vote opposed this ballot initiative to allow the Pella City Council to amend or repeal library policies, rules, and regulations.

Election results

Pella Proposition A
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		1,954	48.91%
No		2,041	51.09%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Measure design

Proposition A was designed to allow the Pella City Council to amend or repeal library policies, rules, and regulations. The measure would have removed the Pella Library Board of Trustees' authority to allow librarians to select and purchase books and media and instead allow the board to make recommendations to the Library Director regarding the selection and purchase of books and media.

Going into the election, the Library Board of Trustees had authority over library expenditures, book selection, and whether or not to keep books that were challenged.

As of 2023, the Library Board of Trustees was composed of six resident members and one nonresident member. The resident members were appointed by the mayor and approved by the city council. The nonresident member was appointed by the mayor and approved by the county board of supervisors.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition A was as follows:

“

Shall the City of Pella, in the Counties of Marion and Mahaska, State of Iowa, be authorized to adopt the below Ordinance Repealing and Replacing Chapter 22 Library Board of Trustees? The proposed ordinance would alter the form and structure of the Library Board of Trustees to limit its authority over the affairs of the Pella Public Library and allow the City Council to revise library policies, rules, and regulations. The proposed ordinance also authorizes the City Administrator to supervise the library staff, including the Library Director.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Support

Protect My Innocence led the campaign in support of Proposition A.

Arguments

• Robyn Vander Molen, initiative supporter: "['Gender Queer: A Memoir'] is not for kids' eyes. You cannot say the pictures are not pornographic. I don't care if this book was for straight people. I would be up here doing the same thing."
• Protect My Innocence: "Concerned Pella parents and grandparents were alerted to the fact that our local library is distributing books and other materials to our minors that contain sexually explicit content that’s obscene, pornographic, and vulgar. The Library Director and Board of Trustees are also allowing adult books that contain content involving minors engaging in sexually explicit activities. For example, the book Gender Queer, which is currently shelved in the Adult Graphic Novel Section, features cartoon pictures of a large bearded male—fully nude—sexually engaged with a much smaller, naked boy. The accompanying text presents pedophilia as a sexual fantasy. There are illustrations of children being engaged in sexually explicit activities. They are the subject within this book. ... Voting YES does NOT ban books; it gives parents a choice. Once passed, we will have the chance to restore the library to a family-friendly space where children can learn and explore without the danger of pornographic landmines. In Iowa, K-12 school libraries cannot provide children with books that contain visual or verbal descriptions of sex acts. We should expect our public library to show equal respect for parental rights and to value children’s innocence. Images can’t be unseen. Innocence cannot be given back. The local library was never meant to be a sanctuary for the distribution of sexually graphic material to minors. Let’s take ahold of common sense and fulfill our first obligation as adults—adults protect kids!"
• State Rep. Helena Hayes (R-88), chair of Protect My Innocence: "Pornography is harmful, period. Not just to children, but to adults, and we all know how it damages men and women and marriages. It does not encourage safe, whole environments. The resolution would simply bring the library under the oversight of the city council just like other city departments. “It’s an equal representation of taxpayer dollars and also community voices."

Opposition

Vote No to Save Our Library led the campaign in opposition to Proposition A.

Arguments

• Anne McCullough Kelly of Vote No to Save Our Library: "There isn’t pornography in the library. There are books that people might personally object to because it’s not aligned with their values, books whose content might make them uncomfortable for different reasons. But there isn’t any actual pornography in the library."
• Ali Thomas, Pella resident: "My kids will not be hurt or scared by [the 'Gender Queer: A Memoir'] book, but someone could be hurt by changing how it's shelved or taking it out entirely."
• Anne Petrie of Vote No to Save Our Library: "We’re very concerned about the potential of library policy swinging according to the political views of the city council members, so we’re trying to get the word out that our current system is the norm in the State of Iowa. Libraries are different from other city departments because they deal with freedom of information and freedom of speech. This really is the right form of governance to keep free access to information for everybody in Pella."

Path to the ballot

Proposition A was a citizen-initiated ballot measure. The signature requirement was equal to 10% of the vote cast in the preceding municipal election.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Iowa

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Iowa.

How to vote in Iowa

Poll times

In Iowa, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Iowa, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Iowa, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. A voter that is 17 years old may participate in a primary election if they will be 18 by the time of the next general election. The deadline to register is 15 days prior to the election but registration is permitted on Election Day with proof of identification. Iowans may register online or by completing a form and returning to their county auditor’s office by mail or in person.

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Iowa does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Iowa has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Iowa allows same-day voter registration.

In order to register and vote on Election Day, voters must go to the correct polling place with proof of their identity and residence (i.e. a valid Iowa driver's license or another acceptable form of photo identification and proof of residency). Click here to read more about voter identification requirements.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Iowa, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Iowa does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Eight states — Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming — have laws requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. Two states, Georgia and Mississippi, require a person provide proof of citizenship if their citizenship status cannot be verified by other means. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Iowa secretary of state’s office maintains a page that allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Iowa requires voters to present identification while voting. Voters who do not have a valid ID can obtain an Iowa voter ID card for free by mail.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Iowa Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

“

Iowa Voter Identification Card Iowa driver’s license Iowa non-operator ID U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID U.S. Passport Tribal ID card/document

”

Voters who do not have one of the IDs listed above may have another voter attest to their identity, or they may provide a combination of other documents to verify their identity and residence. The following additional documents are acceptable proof of identity:

• Iowa non-operator ID
• Out-of-state driver's license or non-driver ID card
• ID card issued by employer
• Student ID issued by Iowa high school or college
• Another photo ID that is current, valid, and contains an expiration date

The following documents are acceptable proof of residence if a photo ID does not contain a voter's current address:

• Residential lease
• Utility bill (including a cell phone bill)
• Bank statement
• Paycheck
• Government check or other government document
• Property tax statement

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2023
• Special district governance ballot measures

Iowa

• Iowa 2023 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Iowa
• Pella, Iowa

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas