MADISON COUNTY, IOWA — Madison County officially swore in a new county auditor Monday morning, but the controversy surrounding the position is far from over.

Matthew Thomas Schwarz took the oath of office after being selected by the Board of Supervisors in a 2-1 vote following a series of candidate interviews last week. He replaces Teri Kackzinski, who resigned in May following four turbulent months on the job. Her resignation took effect Friday, July 4, and her official Facebook page, where she provided updates to constituents, appeared to have been deleted by Monday.

Schwarz brings a varied background to the role. He owns a consulting firm and described himself in his application and interview as an inventor, heavy machinery foreman, certified assessor, and former law enforcement officer who makes an annual salary of between $25,000 to more than $100,000, depending on the year.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Madison County and am looking forward to it,” Schwarz told WHO 13’s Katie Kaplan by phone after being appointed on Thursday.

But just hours after he was appointed, a local political group announced its intent to challenge it.

The Madison County Civic Alliance is a Political Action Committee (PAC) that describes itself as a non-partisan grassroots coalition, and organizers said on its official Facebook page that it will begin collecting signatures on Tuesday to petition for a special election.

The group believes another applicant, specifically former Madison County Board Clerk Michele Brant, was better qualified. According to her application, Brant holds a Master’s Degree in Finance from Drake University, has twenty years of experience in asset management, and already knows the systems and operations of the Madison County Auditor’s Office after having served under the Auditor recently as the Board Clerk. She resigned from the position in March. Her resignation letter stated that she made the decision to leave after she found out in a public meeting that she would be losing her job due to budget cuts.

The Madison County Civic Alliance is calling on voters to demand a public say in who serves as county auditor.

In a statement, MCCI said it is “composed of citizens from across the political spectrum,” uniting “friends, neighbors, and community members—many of whom were previously strangers—around a shared mission: to restore sanity, stability, and integrity to local governance.”

The Alliance criticized the board’s decision to appoint Schwarz rather than call for an election, saying, “County elected officers should be above partisanship and politics. The selection of an auditor must be based on qualifications, experience, and demonstrated commitment to public service—not on political ideology.”

The Board of Supervisors voted 2–1 to approve Schwarz for the position. In what has become a recurring trend in recent months, Supervisor Jessica Hobbs and Chairwoman Heather Stancil voted in favor, while Supervisor Diane Fitch was opposed. All three Supervisors are Republicans.

In its statement, the Alliance went on to say, “When county supervisors disregard the will of the people to advance personal agendas or vendettas, it is our duty to defend democratic principles.”

Their statement concluded with a call to action: “Madison County deserves competent, effective leadership—not political gaming. Electing a qualified, experienced auditor is the crucial first step toward rebuilding the proud legacy of Madison County.”

It remains to be seen whether the group will gather enough signatures to trigger a special election, but for now, Schwarz is officially on the job.

According to Iowa Code, MCCI has 14 days to gather signatures and file the petition for a special election.

WHO 13 reached out to all three Supervisors for comment Monday afternoon. Supervisor Fitch reiterated that she did not vote for the current auditor and that she believed there would be a Special Election. Supervisor Hobbs and Chairwoman Stancil have yet to respond.