A $12.5 million bond referendum in Sac County narrowly missed the 60-percent threshold required for approval in yesterday’s (Tuesday) elections. The measure, which featured a voter turnout rate of nearly 42 percent, had 1,616 votes in favor and 1,227 opposed, or 56.84 percent support. Sheriff Katie Stange says it was tough to see the measure come so close to passing, as a majority of voters in the county supported the project.
An attempt in 2024 to secure $10 million in bonds for a similar project also narrowly failed. Stange says the county is now in a difficult position. Sac County has the oldest operational county jail in Iowa, and the 80-plus-year-old facility is at risk of being closed by the state. Stange says she and other county officials will spend the next few weeks determining how to proceed.
The Sac County Jail’s next inspection is slated for summer 2026, and if the state decides it’s time to close its doors, officials will need to begin transporting prisoners to nearby counties, leading to higher transportation and room/board fees. Stange doesn’t know for certain whether the county will hold another referendum next year, but she suspects it will depend largely on how long the state allows them to continue operating the existing jail.
Overall, it was a difficult election for bond referendums in western Iowa, as many failed to reach the required 60-percent threshold to pass. For election results from the immediate listening area, follow the link included with this story on our website.
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