Two candidates, Russ Crawford and Sam Cox, are running for Mayor of Grinnell in the Nov. 4 election.
The Scarlet & Black asked each candidate to respond to questions on their experience and why they are running for mayor. The following are their responses. Responses may have been lightly edited for clarity.
Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Grinnell is divided into 4 wards, which determine where a resident votes. Wards 1 and 2 vote at Elks Lodge, Ward 3 votes at Drake Library and Ward 4 votes at the 4H Building, County Fairgrounds.
Russ Crawford
Grew up in: My dad served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, so I spent time in many parts of the world growing up. When he retired in 1972, we moved to Grinnell, back to where he was raised. I was 12 years old and was raised in this community. It’s also where I chose to grow and raise my own family.
Educational background: Prefer not to disclose.
Current occupation: I’m currently retired. Previously, I owned and operated KGRN AM 1410 and later ran several other businesses in Grinnell. As a local business owner, I learned the importance of listening, building trust and taking action — skills I’ll carry into the mayor’s office.
Political experience: I haven’t held political office before, but I’ve already done the work to be ready. Since April, I’ve attended over 60 city council meetings to understand the structure, challenges and opportunities of Grinnell’s government. I see the mayor’s role as non-partisan — focused on serving all residents, not party politics.
Age: Prefer not to disclose.
Sam Cox
Grew up in: Grinnell, Iowa
Educational background: AA in merchandising.
Current occupation: Owner of Saints Rest.
Political experience: Ran for state senate 3 years ago.
Age: 55
Why are you running for this position?
Russ Crawford: Grinnell is my hometown, the place I love and believe in. I’m running to keep leading. As chair of the Parks & Recreation Board and a longtime civic volunteer, I’ve shown up, worked across organizations, and delivered results. I intend to lead and listen every day; to bring people together and keep Grinnell moving forward. My leadership isn’t seasonal — it’s 365 days a year.
Sam Cox: I love our community. I love the people. I want to be a part of positive change and planning. I believe that I have the skills to represent our community as a whole. There is so much to learn, but this is a group effort and I look forward to working with our community, city staff, and the council to help create a brighter future for Grinnell.
How do you envision your role in promoting relations and collaboration between the City and Grinnell College?
Russ Crawford: Drop the Iowa Hawkeye sports network to air Grinnell College games exclusively. That helped increase community engagement and support for the College. As mayor, I’ll keep strengthening that connection — through open communication, shared goals, and consistent collaboration.
Sam Cox: I am so lucky to be in my space! Every day I get to work with community members, students, faculty and staff of Grinnell College. I feel like I already have a unique position in that this is something my shop already provides. I have first hand knowledge of how important the college is to our community. As a small business owner, I of course understand the financial importance of what the college and students bring to our community, but equally important is each and every student. Their personality, cultural backgrounds and diversity. Grinnell College and its student body breathe life into our community. I will forever share my support of this partnership and make sure that we come up with innovative ways to incorporate a college/community bond.
What are, in your opinion, the most relevant issues that affect Grinnell and how do you wish to improve upon them?
Russ Crawford: Grinnell’s most relevant issues — like housing, infrastructure, economic growth and quality of life — can’t be tackled in isolation. I’ve seen how collaboration, cooperation, and communication drive real progress. I’m already engaged in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan, which addresses major infrastructure needs. I’ll bring people together across sectors and backgrounds, listen to concerns, and take action that reflects our shared values. I believe in people before politics and teamwork over division.
Sam Cox: Big question. Let me first say that there will be a learning curve for me. My position is to facilitate the meetings to make sure that they are run fairly and effectively. I will listen not only to the community but to the city staff and city council and take direction from them. Small towns all across Iowa are struggling with the same issues… job growth, attracting new business, filling storefronts, affordable housing and a growing elderly population. That’s a lot to tackle. I think we have to think outside the box, find our niche and work with what we have. We have to take a look at costs and find ways to support new business and or business expansion. Look for ways to increase revenues in order to offer assistance to our elderly population. Again, we’re gonna have to get creative and step outside the norm in order to find new answers to old questions. I’m not sure we can fix all of our problems, but I’m sure that myself, the city council and the city staff will give it 110 percent..
