Four candidates are running to fill four Ames School Board seats in the November election.
Incumbent and current Board President Kelly Winfrey is running for an at-large seat, joined by newcomers Arthur Baumgartner and Jennifer Tipton. Voters can select up to three names on the ballot.
Board member Aaron Rodriguez, who was appointed late last year to a vacant seat, is also running for an at-large seat. His candidacy will be on the ballot as a separate item.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, which is Nov. 4, 2025. Early voting begins Oct. 15 and lasts through Nov. 3. The last day to submit a request for a mailed ballot is Oct. 20.
Here’s who is running for Ames School Board:
Kelly Winfrey
Winfrey was first elected to the Ames School Board in 2021 and has served as board president since 2024.
Winfrey received her Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Kansas. She joined Iowa State University in 2014 and currently serves as an assistant professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication.
Winfrey also teaches in the Leadership Studies program and works as coordinator of research and outreach at the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics.
Arthur Baumgartner
Baumgartner received a bachelor’s of arts degree from Grinnell College and a master of architecture from Iowa State University.
He has been an architect for several years and is currently a preconstruction manager at Woodruff Construction in Ames.
He has previously volunteered with Ames Main Street and the Discover Ames Community Grant Committee.
Jennifer Tipton
Jennifer Tipton is from Pleasantville and has been an Ames resident for almost six years. She and her husband, Levi, met at Iowa State University over 20 years ago and have two children in the Ames Community School District.
Jennifer works in the Dean of Students Office at Iowa State and is also a lecturer in the School of Education.
Aaron Rodriguez
Aaron Rodriguez was appointed to the Ames School Board in December 2024 following William “Scott” Dryer’s departure from the board. He was the top choice for four of the six board members and received board approval in a 6-0 vote.
He and his wife and four children live in Ames, where they have made their home for the past eight years.
Rodriguez is a graduate of Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and is employed as an engineer at Danfoss in Ames. He has been an involved parent in the district as a former PTO president and a member of the strategic planning committee.
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Meet the candidates running for Ames School Board this November
Reporting by Celia Brocker, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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