MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Marshalltown residents elected the first Latina to city council Tuesday night in a special election to replace longtime councilperson Al Hoop, who passed away earlier this year.
Receiving 56.3% of votes in the unofficial results, Melisa Fonseca, a Marshalltown native and real estate business owner, defeated engineer Mark Eaton for the vacant 4th ward seat.
The Latino community has grown in Marshalltown over the past three decades. According to the U.S. Census data for the city, Latino residents make up around 30% of Marshalltown's population.
"It means a lot for me," Fonseca told Local 5 News on Wednesday. "You know the city council is meant to represent our community. And this is definitely a step forward in being a more inclusive, more everything community in Marshalltown."
Fonseca had only been in the race for two months. During that time, she door knocked, volunteered in the community and passed out campaign flyers that she prepared in both English and Spanish.
The first issues Fonseca wants to address once on the council include: fixing the city budget, Marshalltown roads and its infrastructure.
Marshalltown City Council still has to swear in Fonseca to the seat she won in Tuesday's special election. Once done so, Fonseca will serve the rest of former councilperson Hoop's term through the end of 2027.