Paul Talley

Biography

The race

• Paul Talley is the Republican candidate for Linn County Treasurer in the Nov. 3, 2026, Linn County general election.
• They are not the current officeholder.
• Also on the ballot for this office: Brent C. Oleson (Democratic, incumbent).

Sources: Linn County Election Services candidate list

Background

• Attended DeVry University and Mount Mercy University, earning bachelor's degrees in telecommunications management and in business and finance, and also earned a master's degree in business and human resources.
• The Ballot Brief, a site that states it uses AI to write election information, says Paul Talley works as a lean sigma technician at the Whirlpool plant in Amana, citing The Gazette.
• His Facebook profile lists his job as a Lean Sigma technician at Whirlpool.
• His Facebook profile lists study in Business Management at Keller Graduate School of Management, Business Administration/Management at Mount Mercy University, and Telecommunications Management at DeVry University.

Sources: The Gazette (Cedar Rapids Community History Archive); The Ballot Brief; Facebook

Public life

• The Gazette's 2022 voter guide listed him as having held no former public offices when he ran for Linn County treasurer.
• Ballotpedia lists Paul Talley (R) as a candidate on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot for Linn County Treasurer against incumbent Brent C. Oleson (D).

Sources: The Gazette (Cedar Rapids Community History Archive); Ballotpedia

Positions & statements

• Said his primary mission as county treasurer would be to make the office more efficient for residents using services such as paying property taxes or renewing vehicle registration online.
• Said he wants close to 70 percent of all Treasurer's Office transactions online by the end of four years, with online checklists and chat assistance for residents paying property taxes or renewing vehicle registrations.
• Said he has the desire to lead the Treasurer's Office as an 'efficient and professional' team, drawing on his lean-sigma process-improvement work at Whirlpool to improve efficiencies in the office.
• Said payment technology must be 'superior and secure' to protect Linn County residents and the Treasurer's Office from potential fraud.

Sources: The Gazette; The Gazette; Facebook

Campaign money

• Paul Talley's campaign committee is Paul Talley LCT Campaign (IECDB id CTY51642).
• The committee has reported $1,857.40 in contributions across 9 contributions in filings through Oct. 9, 2026, $1,857.40 of it since Jan. 1, 2025.
• The largest individual donors include Dean Soenksen ($505.00), Barbara B. Hames ($500.00), Amazon ($185.36), nelson Baethke ($100.00), Casey's General Store ($67.04).
• Party committee contributions total $500.00, led by Linn County Republican Central Committee.

Sources: Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board (committees); Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board (contributions)

In the news

• The Gazette reported that Paul Talley, a Cedar Rapids resident, announced a run for Linn County treasurer.
• The Gazette reported that Republican Paul Talley faced Democrat Brent Oleson for the open Linn County Treasurer seat in the November 2022 election.

Sources: The Gazette; The Gazette

Where they stand

Each mark is one sourced item from Positions & statements (left) or Record in office (right), grouped by issue. Click a mark to open its source; open an issue below to read its items.Tap an issue to see the sourced items.

The race

• Ballotpedia lists Paul Talley (R) as a candidate on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot for Linn County Treasurer against incumbent Brent C. Oleson (D).referenceBallotpedia · Oct. 17, 2026
• The Ballot Brief, a site that states it uses AI to write election information, says Paul Talley works as a lean sigma technician at the Whirlpool plant in Amana, citing The Gazette.referenceThe Ballot Brief · Oct. 17, 2026

Campaign money

• Campaign committee: Paul Talley LCT Campaign. (IECDB id CTY51642).officialIowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board (committees) · Oct. 9, 2026

Filings through Oct. 9, 2026

Largest contributors

• Dean Soenksen$505
• Barbara B. Hames$500
• Amazon$185
• nelson Baethke$100
• Casey's General Store$67

Individuals and organizations other than committees, all years on file.

Public record

Years come from the item text; a gray italic year is when the source was published.

1. 2022
   The Gazette's 2022 voter guide listed him as having held no former public offices when he ran for Linn County treasurer.newsThe Gazette (Cedar Rapids Community History Archive) · Nov. 2, 2022

Positions & statements

5 statements are grouped above under Property taxes & budget, Government efficiency & transparency. Also said:

• socialFacebook · Oct. 17, 2026
  • Posted that he brings 30-plus years of managerial experience and the ability to improve processes, efficiencies and cost justification in the Treasurer's office.
  • Posted that Linn County needs a treasurer who does not need a fire lit under them to get moving after taking taxpayers' money for 3 years and 9 months.
  • Posted that no one will work to improve the Linn County Treasurer's office the way he plans to.
• His campaign Facebook posts center on management and leadership competency rather than ideology — for example, "Linn county needs a leader who truly understands what it takes to lead a staff of highly qualified individuals who can do their duties without much direction."socialFacebook · Oct. 19, 2026

Background

• socialFacebook · Oct. 17, 2026
  • His Facebook profile lists his job as a Lean Sigma technician at Whirlpool.
  • His Facebook profile lists study in Business Management at Keller Graduate School of Management, Business Administration/Management at Mount Mercy University, and Telecommunications Management at DeVry University.
• Attended DeVry University and Mount Mercy University, earning bachelor's degrees in telecommunications management and in business and finance, and also earned a master's degree in business and human resources.newsThe Gazette (Cedar Rapids Community History Archive) · Nov. 2, 2022
• His personal Facebook profile lists his occupation as "Lean sigma technician at Whirlpool" with business-management education (Keller Graduate School of Management, Mount Mercy University, DeVry University).socialFacebook · Oct. 19, 2026

In the news

• The Gazette reported that Paul Talley, a Cedar Rapids resident, announced a run for Linn County treasurer.newsThe Gazette · March 16, 2022
• The Gazette reported that Republican Paul Talley faced Democrat Brent Oleson for the open Linn County Treasurer seat in the November 2022 election.newsThe Gazette · Nov. 2, 2022