Dave Boesen Elected Waterloo Mayor After Upset Win Over Quentin Hart

Last month, Waterloo residents were unable to elect a mayor as none of the candidates reached the needed 50% of the vote required to win.

Last night, December 2, the city held a runoff election for mayor.

Waterloo Elects a New Mayor

Voters in Waterloo have chosen Dave Boesen as their new mayor, defeating five-term incumbent Quentin Hart in a runoff vote, according to election coverage from KCRG.

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Boesen, a former firefighter who served 29 years before entering public office, has been on Waterloo’s city council for six years.

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The runoff was triggered after no candidate won a majority on Election Day. Hart had led with 49.70% of the vote, Boesen had 40.79%, and two other candidates split the rest.

Boesen’s victory ends Hart’s decade-long tenure as mayor. Hart was Waterloo’s first Black mayor and served five terms.

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On his campaign Facebook page, Boesen pledged to bring more transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility to city government, focusing on economic development and putting citizens first.

Residents across Eastern Iowa, including those in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo’s neighboring communities, will likely be watching closely to see how Boesen’s leadership might shape the future of Waterloo and the broader region.

Dave Boesen will take over as mayor of Waterloo on January 2, 2026.

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