By Trey Mewes and Jason Schoonover, Austin Daily Herald

AUSTIN — Adams farmer Steven Reinartz defeated incumbent Doug Groh in the Mower County auditor-treasurer race Tuesday night.

“It’s awesome, I guess,” Reinartz said after his victory Tuesday. “Lots of good support.”

Reinartz received 5,681 votes (51.46 percent) to Groh’s 5,335 (48.33 percent).

Reinartz said a good staff at the county should help him get acclimated to the new role, and he touted his experience as a farmer and on several area boards.

“I think I have enough experience, but some of the things will be new,” Reinartz said. “I guess I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Groh was seeking his third term as auditor/treasurer after almost 25 years with the county. He said he’s glad the incoming auditor/treasurer will have “a great staff, a new staff that are intelligent and hardworking, and will support him well going into a four-year term.”

Groh did acknowledge his clashes with the Mower County Board of Commissioners over the years, and subsequent media reports likely did him no favors in the election. Groh was recently taken to task by the board over two reporting errors to the IRS, which will cost the county $4,500 in penalties, and the board and Groh have criticized each other’s performance over the past few years.

Groh did encourage residents who were interested in public service to not let the struggles he had in county government dissuade people from running for elected office.

Reinartz is not related to Commissioner Jerry Reinartz.

Jerry Reinartz, Commissioner Tony Bennett, Commissioner Mike Ankeny, Sheriff Terese Amazi, County Attorney Kristen Nelsen, and Recorder Jill Cordes all ran unopposed and won with more than 98 percent of the vote.