An Up Close Look at Kim Reynolds

How do politicians represent Iowa at the national and state level?

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was born in St. Charles, Madison County, Iowa in 1959. Madison County is located in south central, Iowa, and is home to around 16,000 people. St. Charles has a population under 800 people. Her father worked as a farmer and in the John Deere Factory.

Reynolds served four terms as the Clarke County Treasurer. In 2008 she was elected to the Iowa Senate and was a member of five committees: Economic Growth, Environment & Energy Independence, Local Government, Rebuild Iowa, Transportation, and Appropriations Subcommittee.

In 2010 she was elected Lieutenant Governor as part of the Republican ticket with Governor Terry Branstad. She served until 2017, when Governor Branstad stepped down to become United States Ambassador to China, at which time Reynolds became Governor of Iowa. In 2018 she became Iowa's first elected female governor.

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This automatic voting machine was used in Shelby County, Iowa until the late 20th century. This machine's patent dates to June of 1911 and was produced by the Automatic Registering Machine Company in Jamestown, New York. The machine itself is a dark, forest green color and includes a matching green curtain. When voters came to cast their ballots, the machine would be switched on and the voter would pull the large lever overhead, which would open the machine for voting and close the outer curtain for privacy. Candidates were chosen with levers and write in candidates were inserted through slots at the top of the voting machine. When voters were done, they would pull the overhead leaver again, opening the curtain, and submitting their votes.

Students will research Kim Reynolds, the newly elected governor of Iowa

• SS.8.25: History (Iowa Government)
• SS-Gov.9-12.28: Iowa Issues and Policy