MEET THE CANDIDATE: Sandie Smith
Sandie Smith has spent her entire career serving Black Hawk County. She's been employed by the county for 35+ years, since 1989, and every one of those years has been spent working in the Recorder's office — giving her a depth of institutional knowledge about the office few other candidates for any county office could match.
Sandie is a Certified County Recorder, and voters first elected her to the office in November 2014; she took the oath of office in January 2015 and has served as Black Hawk County Recorder ever since. She's an active member of the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) and has served on numerous committees at the county level throughout her career.
Under Sandie's leadership, the Recorder's office has modernized significantly. She oversaw the conversion of the county's electronic land records into a new data system, making property and land records more accessible to the public. She's continued pushing the office toward greater use of technology to make its services easier for residents to access.
Sandie also created a dedicated Passport Room within the Recorder's office to process passport applications and take passport photos — a service that saves county residents a trip to the post office or a separate passport agency. More recently, she launched the Honor Rewards program, which lets local veterans record their DD-214 discharge paperwork with the Recorder's office in exchange for a card offering discounts at participating local businesses, a way of giving back to those who've served.
Fun facts: Sandie has worked in the Black Hawk County Recorder's office continuously since 1989 — 35+ years and counting. She created the office's Honor Rewards program connecting local veterans with discounts at Cedar Valley businesses.
CANDIDATE PLATFORM: Sandie Smith
Sandie Smith's long tenure in the Black Hawk County Recorder's office has shaped a platform built around modernization, accessibility, and service to often-overlooked residents.
Modernizing county records. Sandie has led the conversion of the county's land records into modern electronic systems, making it easier for residents, title companies, and real estate professionals to access the records they need without unnecessary friction or delay.
Accessibility of county services. Sandie has consistently pushed to expand the use of technology within the Recorder's office to make its services more accessible to the public — an approach reflected in her creation of an in-house Passport Room, which spares residents a separate trip to apply for or renew a U.S. passport.
Serving veterans. Through the Honor Rewards program, Sandie built a direct benefit for local veterans, connecting them with discounts from participating businesses simply by recording their DD-214 with the county — a small but meaningful way of honoring their service.
Institutional expertise. After 35+ years working in the office and more than a decade as its elected head, Sandie brings a level of institutional knowledge about county recordkeeping that's difficult for any newcomer to match, ensuring the office continues to run smoothly and accurately for the residents who rely on it.
SANDIE SMITH & BENEFIT TO BLACK HAWK COUNTY
The County Recorder's office may not draw the same attention as legislative or congressional races, but Sandie Smith's continued service matters to Black Hawk County Democrats' broader effort to hold every seat on the county ballot in 2026.
Proven, non-controversial competence. Sandie's decades of service and modernization work give Black Hawk County Democrats a countywide candidate with a long, uncontroversial record of professional, effective public service — exactly the kind of down-ballot candidate that helps anchor a broader county ticket.
A model of practical public service. Sandie's creation of the Passport Room and the Honor Rewards program for veterans reflects the kind of tangible, everyday improvements to residents' lives that Black Hawk County Democrats can point to as concrete evidence of good governance.
Down-ballot turnout. As a countywide office on every Black Hawk County ballot, the Recorder's race plays its own small role in overall turnout, particularly among older and more institutionally engaged voters who tend to follow county government closely.
Holding the full county slate. With Rob Sand, Josh Turek, and Lindsay James all running competitive statewide and federal races in 2026, Black Hawk County Democrats are focused on holding every office on the county ballot — and Sandie's long record of service makes her one of the strongest, most experienced candidates on that list.
