Taking place on October 7 was the non-partisan Council Bluffs Mayor Primary Election, and the polls were open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Our 2025 mayoral candidates are Shawn Bergstrom, Nathan Mortensen, Jeremy Neely, Chris Peterson, Jill Shudak, and current mayor since 2013, Matthew (Matt) Walsh.
“I am running for mayor because I feel a genuine responsibility to help people and to give back to the community that has shaped me,” said candidate, city councilwoman, and former school board member Jill Shudak. “My commitment is to be a leader who listens first, understands the people’s concerns, hopes, and needs, and turns those voices into meaningful action.”
She said she is ready to lead the future of Council Bluffs as our new mayor.
“I am ready to help lead that future by fostering collaboration, encouraging innovation, and ensuring fairness in every decision. My goal is to build on the foundation laid by those before us and guide our community toward greater opportunity, unity, and prosperity—while never losing sight of the heritage that makes us who we are.”
Current City Council member and AL graduate Chris Peterson can relate close to home because he’s been living in Council Bluffs his entire life. He hopes to fix, “The streets, dynamic housing for all residents, bolster economical development, combat homelessness, and crime.”
Current mayor Matt Walsh has served in elected office for Council Bluffs for 30 years, and has been mayor for the past 12 years.
“In city government there is never a shortage of things to fix,” said Walsh. “Construction of new housing has been an issue that needs addressed so after a concerted effort we have 3,000 housing units either currently under construction or soon to be under construction.”
A survey was sent out by the Echoes about the mayoral election. A majority of the students who responded were in the age range of 16 to 17, and in grades 11 and 12. Out of 14 students, 57.1% of students voted Matthew Walsh, 7.1% voted Shawn Bergstrom, 7.1% voted Nathan Mortensen, 7.1% voted Jeremy Neely, 7.1% voted Jill Shudak, and 14.2% responded with other.
One of the responders, senior and 17 year old Peyton De Leon, said he would vote for Shawn Bergstrom. “He seems like a very intelligent man,” said De Leon.
Another responder, junior and 16 year old Jazmine Anderson said she would vote for Matt Walsh. “I like his conservative views,” said Anderson.
Will the mayor stay the same, or will there be some change in the office?
“I’m the right choice for mayor because my work and life experiences have honed my ability to mentor, unite, and inspire our community,” said Peterson. “We need new leadership, with new perspectives. It is time to turn the page!”
“I am the right choice to be the next Mayor of Council Bluffs because I bring a strong commitment to service, proven experience, and a genuine dedication to representing the community’s needs with integrity and vision,” said Shudak.
“I accomplished quite a bit and we have a lot more great things underway that I want to complete,” said Walsh. “I would like to keep the momentum going.”
The results of the mayoral voting have two candidates for the election in November. Who will go head to head is Matt Walsh received 1,537 of the 4,210 votes cast, and Jill Shudak who received 1,237 of the votes cast. Other data reveals Chris Peterson received 1,185 votes, Jeremy Neely received 114 votes, Nathan Mortensen received 57, and Shawn Bergstrom received 48 votes.
Note: The Echoes reached out to Nathan Mortensen and did not receive a response. The Echoes could not find contact information for Shawn Bergstrom and Jeremy Neely.
