Decorah voters have selected Cody Whittle to serve as the newest member of the Decorah City Council, according to unofficial election results released Tuesday night.
Whittle earned 857 votes for approximately 55.6 percent support at the polls, according to initial tallies, defeating fellow candidate Kent Klocke, who earned 682 for about 44.3 percent of the vote. A total of 1,541 ballots were cast during this week’s runoff election — making for almost 25 percent turnout among Decorah’s eligible voters, according to the Winneshiek County Auditor’s Office.
“I’m grateful for the support of the community, and I look forward to doing my best to give back the support and do right by the town of Decorah,” Whittle said after election results were posted Tuesday night in the rotunda of the county courthouse.
Whittle previously said he was looking forward to having meaningful discussions and building relationships with Decorah’s residents as a city council member.
“It’s not news to anyone that we are living in polarizing times, and this element of the work can be an intimidating one, but I feel that I am well suited to be able to listen to and hold respectful civil discussions with all types of people,” Whittle told the Decorah Leader as part of a candidate Q&A in early December.
Whittle described himself as a small business owner, noting he founded Big Driftless — a retail location specializing in handmade outdoor gear — in 2018. Whittle said he sees a lack of affordable housing in Decorah, and he feels the issue is linked to the cost of affordable downtown retail space.
“I would like to explore potential incentive programs for property owners to offer long-term rentals over short-term rentals, and for vacant unused spaces in downtown buildings to be renovated into more housing options,” Whittle said during the December Q&A. “I also like the idea of ADU — Accessory Dwelling Unit — programs that would allow homeowners to transform things like detached garages or in-law units into rental property options.”
Whittle was initially one of three candidates to join the race for an open at-large seat on the Decorah City Council, after former Decorah Councilman At Large Ross Hadley stepped down from his position in the fall of 2024. The remaining city council opted to hold a special election to fill Hadley’s seat, and Whittle, along with Klocke and candidate Paul Wanless, began campaigning for the position. Voters first headed to the polls on Dec. 10, 2024. However, the three-way race required candidates to earn more than 50 percent support in order to be declared the winner. None of the three crossed that threshold during last month’s special election — though the 673 ballots cast in Whittle’s put him less than 2 percent away from an outright victory, and Klocke was about 100 votes behind him.
Wanless, who earned 129 votes in December was eliminated from the race, while Klocke and Whittle prepared to square off again at the ballot box Tuesday.
The unofficial election night tallies show Whittle gained more than 100 votes among absentee voters, compared to the votes he received during the three-way race in December. County election officials reported Tuesday’s voting totals by polling location, and unofficial election results show both candidates gained more than 30 votes among residents of Wards 1 and 2, compared to last month’s totals — Klocke’s increase of 38 votes was slightly ahead of Whittle’s gain of 33 votes. Results from Wards 3A and 3B were the most similar to the December tallies. Voters at that polling location cast 156 ballots in Whittles favor compared to 141 in December, while 96 voters favored Klocke, compared to 92 last month.
City officials said Whittle will likely be sworn in during the Decorah City Council’s Jan. 21 meeting and take his seat immediately.
Whittle is expected to serve on the council until at least Dec. 31, 2025 — what would have been the end of Hadley’s most recent term. The at-large council seat will then be placed on the ballot again. Whittle will then need to file new candidacy papers if he intends to retain a position on the council.
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