MASON CITY – A liberal Mason City man who delightfully endorses a game he coded called “Graveball” will likely be the next Cerro Gordo County Auditor.
Former Cerro Gordo County Auditor Ken Kline was hired in January to serve as Iowa’s Deputy Commissioner of Elections. To fill the vacancy, a Special County Election will be held April 10, 2018. Friday, March 16 at 5:00 PM is the deadline for candidates to file nomination papers to enter the election.
Riley Dirksen, age 34 of Mason City, has already been chosen as the Democratic nominee in this election. Dirksen is a former employee of the county as a software developer. Dirksen appears to be an avid “gamer” who spends much of his time playing a video game he coded called “Graveball” at his “Goin’ Yumbo Games” development studio. Recently, Dirksen gleefully tweeted as he feverishly played his video game, “Hitting a dead goblin’s body provides no in-game benefit but IS very disrespectful so it should always be attempted.”
Graveball, Dirksen says, is “a multi-player graveyard combat sports game.”
He has been looking for help testing his game, saying recently, “Could really use some more Graveball testers for tonight! Anyone that joins the Discord gets a free Steam key for the alpha!” He also enjoys having “Fun with post-goal ragdolls”.
Dirksen has been improving Graveball, saying in recent months, “Improved goal ring asset! Now a skull watches you dunk a different skull.”
Local Democrats are lining up behind Dirksen.
Acting Chairwoman for the Cerro Gordo County Democratic Party JoAnne Hardy said, “He will continue the Ken Kline tradition of secure and honest elections that the residents of Cerro Gordo county can trust.” He has received the enthusiastic endorsement of liberal North Iowa lawmakers Amanda Ragan and Sharon Steckman.”
“I can’t think of anyone more qualified to follow in the great tradition of clean elections that Ken Klein (sic) began,” Steckman said.
NIT contacted Todd Blodgett, the political guru who has advised more successful candidates of both parties in north Iowa than anyone else since the early 1990s. Blodgett told NIT that he sees no Republican entering the race for county Auditor. “It appears that Riley Dirksen will be elected without any opposition,” Mr. Blodgett said.
Voters may cast ballots in this election in-person at the County Auditor’s Office beginning Tuesday, March 20th.
Fun with post-goal ragdolls! #gamedev #indiegame pic.twitter.com/Z7m5ZGGdhn
— Riley Dirksen (@rileydirksen) November 27, 2017
Choice of name for the video game “Grave Ball”
Just a thought, instead of whining over the choice of Mr. Dirksen made to enter the race and winning unopposed, if you can do better, than throw your hat into the ring. Kudos to Mr. Dirksen in taking an active role in the future if his city!
And, incidentally, the fact that he is a gamer and created a game has absolutely no bearing on this story whatsoever, another case of exploitative journalism….
Matt now that Mr. Dirksen has be elected why don’t you contact him for an interview? Your article made it sound like he’s totally unqualified to hold this position. I’d like to hear his plans going forward as Auditor.
His plan going forward was to quit when he found out it was a “JOB” and he was required to be there.
I would hope that everyone stays home and there is not a single vote cast for him
cant believe no one else is running. what qualifications does he have, oh ya builds kids games. a auditor should have a degree of some kind in accounting and better yet a CPA. this is the person who makes sure that the checks and balances are correct with your county money.but then if you look at some past auditors that have held this office you will see that the county really doesn’t care who gets it as long as there is a warm body behind the desk. guess he is gunna rely on the current employees to run the office while he sits back and dreams up another game for kids. WOW Unbelievable
SO let me get this straight, this young man ‘games’ in his tiny basement as his wife brings him soda, cheetoz and blowpops. If you drive by at 3 AM or so you see a light on in the basement. This must be the Yumbo Gumbo game studio I guess. The windows are all steamed up. Upstairs is the studios of ‘elect lonnie dirksen’ for some future election and in a closet is all the underpants she goes jogging in and dozens of VOTE YES signs left over from the rigged election.
Listen dickehad, Rilee loves his game, he made Graveball so kids had something to do. Now they can beat zombies senseless, dunk skulls and pummel ragdolls with immense delite. Why don;t you try the game instead of make fun of his pastime.
Mr. Dirksen is a smart person. His code writing for a game is simply a job. the code/software he wrote for the County us now used statewide. maybe you can get him to help you with your terrible ‘keave your comments coding
The new face of the old guard. Riley’s father Mike is a quite popular football coach for Newman, and a very good friend of John Lee. Sad to see such smart young folks manipulated by the Mason City Cabal. A clever way to wind their tentacles into county government, wonder when we will see Loni run for office.
Riley is a good young man from a good family. Chose to stay home after school and build a career and family in Mason City. The other 99% of youth leave and never return.
Mason City needs more of this
Yes, we need more younger people like Riley to lead Mason City into the future with new opportunities to attract Millennials.
What about the part where Riley wrote the code behind Iowa’s voting software?
I mowed the grass one time at the state capitol grounds, therefore I should be the governor.
Your argument is bad and you should feel bad.
Elephant > Donkey is a dumbass.
It’s also noteworthy that he’s married to Mason City Says Yes queen Loni Dirksen. Let’s just turn the whole town over to them.
Good idea. Something positive might actually happen.
This is simultaneously the most hilarious, and worst article I’ve seen on NIT. What an absolute pile of shit.
another election but not “of the people”
Mason City small town politics,*ss clowns.Failed goverment,just another word for more goverment.Where are the Leaders anymore seems like whole world is full of followers.It all starts at very top and its flowing down hill like a shit storm.People just get so consumed what goes on in everyone’s life but their own.Leaders lead,followers and whiners step aside and muddle in your own life
Wouldn’t that be something if he remained the only candidate up to election day and still lost?
What the hell? Graveball? Sounds like something conjured up by Satan or metastpheles. 666 …
Political guru?? You are an ass kisser Matt. Hoping to entice Todd into writing more opinion letters to earn you more clicks?
I don’t need to “entice” Mr. Blodgett. When he decides it is time to enflame his liberal adversaries, he will pen a deliciously naughty scribe that will rocket their minds into a frenzy – and we’ll publish it here.
Forget the defensive political finger pointing Matt. You say Todd has advised more political candidates of both parties since the 1990s. Really? Who, how many, what advise? You are blowing smoke up his ass and we know it.
Who have you advised Dumb Ass!
We do not agree on Todd’s politics, he is too right wing for us we are Democrats. But he did help Alex and Phil and Jay Urdahl, this came from John Stone, rest in peace.
John use to live by us then we moved. We helped him put out yard signs when Paul Adams ran for council. He said Todd was giving advise to Paul and Jodi (Draper), John was glad of that. John was for Doug Nelson for supervisor last time, he got beat. He said Todd raised the money for Casey Callahan and thats why Callahan got in.
My sister use to work for Todd’s dad Dr. Blodgett back in the day, she said Todd ran all his dad’s campaigns. We are glad he can find some Democrats he supports, he has run alot of campaigns.
More power to him.