DES MOINES, Iowa — Election season is in full swing this year and there are two candidates vying for the opportunity to be the Des Moines City Council's Ward 2 representative.
Incumbent Linda Westergaard has been serving the council since 2017 and believes her experiences sets her apart.
"I've had eight years in office, we have gotten a tremendous amount of projects and accomplishments that have been made in ward two," Westergaard told Local 5.
It's the first time on the ballot for Chelsea Lepley, who is running against Westergaard. But Lepley shared she's a familiar face to City Hall and has spent a lot of her time engaged in the community.
"I grew up in Des Moines. I've been involved in community organizing and politics for most of my life. and I have an idea that we could be more proactive in doing what folks want to see happen," Lepley said.
As for their plans if they win the seat, Westergaard hopes to continue her work on some of the larger programs she's been working on with other council members.
"Vision Zero is all about making our streets safer, safer. we have a wonderful program that we've implemented for improving our neighborhoods. we're just getting started. those are in their infancy, we now can move forward," Westergaard said.
Lepley hopes to work towards helping create safer communities by fighting obstacles residents may face when trying to lead healthy and secure lives.
"Public safety is more than just police and firefighters. You know, if you don't feel safe walking or riding your bike to work or school, if you live in a food desert, if you're at risk of eviction, that's also an element of safety that I think we can treat as a public health issue," Lepley said. "So, that's one of the things that I think would distinguish my vision from other folks."
When asked about her opponent, Westergaard believes Lepley is lacking experience and doesn't see her engaged at city council meetings.
"I've never seen my opponent at a city council meeting. I just think it's important that before somebody runs, that they really get to know the people that that they're going to represent. That takes a lot of community involvement, " Westergaard said.
Lepley claims she has been attending council meetings for the past 10 years, and while she may not be at all the meetings in person, she still has a pulse on what's going on.
"Even if folks don't see me there, I can always see the stream. Like when its says five people watching the 7:30 [a.m.] sessions in the morning, I watch those. I also tune into, keep up with what's going on in the evening meetings," Lepley responded.