After almost 50 years with Dodge County, Clerk and Election Commissioner Fred Mytty announced he will not run for reelection this year.
“It’s about time,” he said. “This is my 48th year here, and it’s time for me just to have time for myself and do some other things.”
Mytty made the announcement the day before the Feb. 15 deadline for incumbents to file for office. Nonincumbents have until Tuesday, March 1, to file.
First elected in 1974 at age 23, Mytty took office the next January. In November 2018, he was elected for his 12th and final term.
Having spent so many years in the role, Mytty said he remembers back to when the county used an automatic posting machine before upgrading to a punch card machine.
“Then we went to a magnetic tape machine, now we’re on PC-based server machines,” he said. “So it’s just a progression of what’s happened throughout the nation as far as computerizing stuff.”
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As well as working with the county’s votes for elections, Mytty has also worked with the Dodge County Board of Supervisors.
“I liked the county boards that we’ve had over the years, there’s been some good people that served,” he said. “The chairpeople have always been really good.”
Although he said he’s been “relatively healthy,” Mytty said he made the decision not to run after much thought and gave his thanks to his deputy, Micki Gilfry, and the rest of his staff.
“I expect to have a good time in retirement,” he said.
With the next person to fill the county clerk role, Mytty said they’ll have to help the county guide through paying off bank loans from the spring 2019 flood, monitor the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds and ensure fair and accurate elections.
“I will give them support and anything that they need as far as background information on stuff,” he said. “I’m glad to help.”
County Board Chairman Bob Missel said he had a “tremendous” amount of respect for Mytty and said he’s been an invaluable asset to the county.
“It’s been an honor to have worked with him,” he said. “The county loses a wealth of knowledge with Fred Mytty’s retirement, that’s for sure.”
