A special election is being held in Cedar Falls today.

Voters are going to the polls to decide who will fill the at-large city council seat left vacant when Rob Green was sworn in as mayor in January. Five candidates are on the ballot: Kelly Dunn, T.J. Frein, Fred Perryman, Penny Popp and LeaAnn Saul.

None of the candidates vying for the seat have ever served on the city council. The winner will replace Nick Taiber, who was appointed by the council in January to the fill the seat but decided not to seek election.

The election is finally taking place after a three-month delay. Originally scheduled for March 24, the special election was pushed back a week to accommodate an increase in absentee voting. Then, the pandemic hit. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate moved the special election to July 7 while the number of COVID-19 cases were surging in Black Hawk County.

According to election officials, voters have already cast more than 5,000 absentee ballots. They said any that were cast prior to the initial March election dates are valid and will be included in today's vote totals.

There is only one voting site for today's special election. In-person voting can be done at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM.

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