Two Seek Dubuque County Recorder's Office in Nov. 3 Election

Two candidates are seeking election as Dubuque County recorder on the Nov. 3 ballot, according to the Dyersville Commercial. Democratic appointee Ann Sweeney is seeking her first election to the office and is challenged by unaffiliated candidate Michael Rabagia. Sweeney was appointed county recorder in 2025. She was born and raised in Dubuque, served in the U.S. Army, gained experience in several agencies in Washington state government, and returned to Dubuque to spend time with family and work for a nonprofit organization. Rabagia is an IT professional with just shy of 20 years of experience supporting businesses, healthcare companies and state governments. He describes himself as a progressive running with no party affiliation. Asked what he would seek to accomplish, Rabagia said he would finish the scanning and coding backlog and work with the deputy recorders and clerks to reevaluate office processes to remove complexity and bottlenecks. He also said he would never allow AI to scan vital records and would never sign a nondisclosure agreement to hide a data center company's property inquiries. Sweeney said she is running to give back to the community by serving with experience, accountability and steady leadership, with a focus on a positive customer experience and the preservation and protection of records. Iowa statute defines the recorder's duties, Sweeney noted, including recording property and real estate documents and other documents, serving as county registrar of vital statistics, and issuing registrations and use permits for boats, off-road vehicles and snowmobiles.