Kimberley Strope-Boggus plans to run for a seat on the Polk County Board of Supervisors in the November 2026 election.
Strope-Boggus’ bid comes on the heels of veteran Polk County Supervisor Angela Connolly announcing Wednesday, Sept. 3, she would not seek reelection when her term ends in 2026. Connolly, who was first elected in 1998, said she’d been mulling foregoing reelection for the past couple weeks, describing the decision as “an emotional rollercoaster.”
Strope-Boggus, a Democrat, is looking to fill Connolly’s seat in District 5, which includes neighborhoods in north and northwestern Des Moines, the East Village and parts of downtown. In a news release Sept. 4, Strope-Boggus thanked Connolly for her decades of service, complimenting her innovative vision and fearless dedication.
“District 5 is the heart of my life,” Strope-Boggus told the Des Moines Register. “My life is intrinsically tied to this district.”
Connolly’s announcement comes a few months after her colleague and political ally, Tom Hockensmith, said in late July he won’t seek another term in 2026. Hockensmith told the Register that he’s fed up with clashing personalities and policy choices on the board. Since then, Des Moines City Council member Joe Gatto has announced his interest in Hockensmith’s seat.
A new alliance between Board Chair Matt McCoy, a Democrat, and newcomers Mark Holm and Jill Altringer, both Republicans, has frequently outvoted Democrats Connolly and Hockensmith this year.
Fierce animosity on the board has fueled a series of expensive civil lawsuits, division among other Polk County leaders and public criticism.
Strope-Boggus said she and her wife are raising their children in Des Moines in the hope it will remain a welcoming city for generations to come.
“I love my neighbors and my community,” Strope-Boggus wrote in the news release. “My neighbors in Polk County deserve a supervisor who is willing to put their head down and get to business. Enough with the internal battles and political theatre, my number one job and priority will always be to serve and support the interests of Polk County residents.”
Strope-Boggus, who works as the senior advancement director for the nonprofit Young Women’s Resource Center, said she is uniquely equipped to handle the disbursement of grants and funding on the county board, one of its major roles.
Strope-Boggus said the county also needs to keep pushing for solutions to the cancer epidemic in Iowa, which some speculate is tied to Iowa’s water quality. The latest Cancer in Iowa report from the Iowa Cancer Registry found Iowa once again has the second-highest prevalence of cancer nationwide. Strope-Boggus said members of her own family, including her wife and father, have been affected by cancer.
“We have the information,” she said, referencing a million-dollar Polk County-commissioned report that linked Iowa’s agricultural practices to widespread water pollution.
“What we need now is the tools to implement. And I believe it’s going to take the work of county supervisors working together with … big ag because big ag has had a voice in this state for far too long that is erasing what the people want,” which are clean water and a lower cancer rate, she said.
Strope-Boggus earned her bachelor’s in communications from Iowa State University. She also holds multiple positions on public boards, including Des Moines Public Library Board of Trustees vice president, Beaverdale Fall Festival board member, Parks Area Foundation member and Perkins Elementary School PTA board member.
She also ran to represent Ward 1 on the Des Moines City Council in a 2023 special election but suspended her campaign amid a crowded race.
Strope-Boggus and her wife, Becky Strope-Boggus, live in Beaverdale with their four children Journey, Jacob, Weston, and Olive.
Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government and Polk County reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com. Follow her on X at @vbarreda2.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: First candidate announces run for Polk County supervisor after Angela Connolly retirement
Reporting by Virginia Barreda, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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