Tama County Auditor Laura Kopsa (D-Tama) pictured on Election Night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the Tama County Adminstration Building in Toledo. After nearly 30 years with Tama County government – 18 years as Auditor – Kopsa, a lifelong Tama County resident, has chosen to retire in order to spend more time with her family. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TOLEDO – After serving for more than 18 years at the helm of the Tama County Auditor’s Office where she has handled everything from county budgets to elections to clerking for the board of supervisors, Laura Kopsa is set to retire.

Kopsa, 63, a Democrat from Tama, said her decision to retire has everything to do with family.

“I just want to spend more time with my husband and family,” she told the newspaper in an email. “Also, to be able to help more with my young grandchildren.”

Kopsa has lived in Tama County her entire life. She was raised on a dairy farm near Montour and graduated from South Tama High School in 1979 before graduating two years later from Marshalltown Community College with a degree in business.

She has worked in the Tama County Auditor’s Office since March of 1995 — first as the elections administrator and later in the real estate/tax position. Following her predecessor John Adams’ resignation, she was appointed by the supervisors to Tama County Auditor on June 27, 2006. She went on to win elections in 2006 (to a partial term), 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Prior to working in Tama County government, she worked for Tama State Bank and a local physician’s office.

In the nearly three decades she’s been in the auditor’s office, she has witnessed a plethora of changes, she said, many pertaining to Iowa’s election laws.

“In my time here I would say one of the biggest changes has been in elections. We used to bring all of the ballots to the auditor’s office and the supervisors and other county staff ran all the ballots through the counter and the results were available after all the precinct ballots were received and counted. Write-in votes were counted that night by county staff and volunteers. The results were written on a chalkboard in the hallway after each precinct was counted.”

Kopsa said the advent of computers coupled with the creation of the internet fueled many of the changes.

“[T]he use of computers and email have greatly changed how we do business now. Because of this we now have four employees instead of five.”

Retiring Tama County Auditor Laura Kopsa pictured on Tuesday, Nov. 5, in the Auditor's Office going over election paperwork. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

But one thing that has not changed over the last 30 years, the office of county auditor in Iowa continues to be a partisan office which means incumbent auditors must manage their own elections. According to the Iowa State Association of County Auditors, Iowa’s county auditors were given the additional title of Commissioner of Elections in 1972.

With Kopsa’s retirement – coupled with Supervisor Dan Anderson’s decision not to seek reelection this year – Tama County government will be wholly controlled by Republicans beginning in January 2025.

When asked if she ever considered running under a different political party, Kopsa said no before adding: “[B]ut I do think this office should be non-partisan as this office does not set policy. The qualifications of holding this office should include a financial background and leadership skills along with being able to juggle many different things at once. Our office is responsible for elections, payroll, accounts payable, real estate, taxation, levies, GIS maps for all the property in the county. So, the Auditor has to wear many hats and be knowledgeable in all of these things.”

Of all the duties belonging to the auditor, Kopsa said interacting with the public has been her favorite part.

“I grew up in the southern part of the county and getting to know more people from the north through elections and real estate has been great. Also, all of my coworkers – past and present – have been great to get to know and work with. We are like family.”

Tama County Auditor-elect Karen Rohrs places her nameplate on the auditor's desk at the Administration Building in Toledo late in the evening on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, after it became clear she had won her race. Rohrs, a Republican from Toledo, was the only candidate running to replace retiring Auditor Laura Kopsa. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Part of that family includes Tama County Auditor-elect Karen Rohrs, a Republican from Toledo, who was elected on Nov. 5 to replace Kopsa. She currently works as Assistant Tama County Auditor and Election Administrator. When reached by email for comment, Rohrs said working with Kopsa for the past 14 years has been a pleasure.

“Laura is not only a kind person outside of work, but she is also a kind and supportive boss,” Rohrs said. “She has always valued all her employees’ thoughts and ideas and has treated us with respect and fairness. She has been a great boss to work under and I hope someday I can aspire to be as confident and knowledgeable as she is.”

Kopsa did offer her successor and friend some advice, specifically to always strive to practice patience and to remember who you work for at the end of the day – the taxpayer.

“For advice I would say, be patient, it always works out somehow. Lean on your coworkers, they are a great bunch. You work for the public, make time to visit and listen to them. … I feel the county is so lucky to have Karen as their new auditor. She has worked in the office for [more than] 13 years and has a lot of knowledge. She has been shadowing me for awhile and is prepared to take on this position. A lot of people know her from being the election administrator, so she knows a lot of people in the county. She will be a great asset to the county and auditor’s office.”

Kopsa ended her comments to the newspaper by highlighting the safety and security of Iowa’s elections.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“Elections are VERY safe and secure here in Iowa. Our machines are never connected with the internet so they are impenetrable from being tampered with. After every election, the State chooses a precinct and race for each county to recount. We have never been off. Trust the process!”

On Friday, Dec. 13, the county was set to hold a retirement party for Kopsa at the Administration Building in Toledo from 3-6 p.m. Following her party and Rohrs’ subsequent swearing in at the end of the month, Kopsa said she plans to enjoy spending time with her family which includes her husband Joel Kopsa and their daughters Jillisa and Kaylea. She also hopes to do some volunteering and a little traveling. But no matter where she chooses to visit as a newly minted retiree, she said she has no plans to move beyond Tama County’s borders.

“Tama Countians are great people.”

Congratulations, Laura, on your upcoming retirement! We here at Tama-Grundy Publishing appreciate the diligence and care you have dedicated to the county for nearly 30 years, and wish you the best in your future endeavors.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER