Filing period opens for legislative candidates

MASON CITY — The filing period for legislative candidates started this past Monday, and three local legislators have filed their June primary nomination papers as they seek re-election:

== Sharon Steckman will be seeking a seventh term in the Iowa House. The Democrat from Mason City currently represents House District 53, which includes Mason City, Rockwell and the central third of Cerro Gordo County. Steckman currently sits on the Administration and Rules, Education, Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and State Government committees. 

== Jane Bloomingdale will be seeking her third term in the Iowa House. The Republican from Northwood currently chairs the House Local Government Committee. She also serves on the Commerce, State Government and Ways & Means committees. Her House District 51 seat includes all of Worth, Mitchell, and Howard counties as well as the northwestern quadrant of Winneshiek County.

== == Waylon Brown will be seeking his second term to the Iowa Senate District 26 seat that covers all of Worth, Mitchell, Floyd, Chickasaw, and Howard counties, as well as the eastern third of Cerro Gordo and the northwestern quarter of Winneshiek County. The Republican from Osage is currently the vice chair of the Senate’s Transportation Committee. He also serves on the Agriculture, Commerce, Labor & Business Relations, and Ways & Means committees.

== Bennett Smith of Clear Lake, who is running for the House District 54 seat that covers Clear Lake, the western third of Cerro Gordo County, all of Franklin County, and the northwestern portion of Butler County, also filed his nomination papers this week to be an independent candidate on the ballot in November. 

Legislative candidates have until March 13th to file their nominating papers for the primary election, which takes place on Tuesday June 2nd.