Tucker, 69, had initially retired from the role at the beginning of this year after not seeking reelection in November 2020.

Current Commissioner Sherrie Sprenger instead ran for his seat, while Tucker was appointed back to the board following the death of longtime Commissioner John Lindsey in March. There were two years left on Lindsey’s term.

The reason he chose not to seek reelection last year was that he took a nasty fall on his Scio ranch and learned that he had osteoporosis, a disease that made his bones brittle and therefore broke in multiple places. This hampered his recovery for months.

“Ten months of not being able to walk … it’s hard for me as a person who’s active to get over that,” Tucker said in an interview shortly after he was appointed. “I think the job is too important to not have someone who is not ready to jump right in.”

Following his injuries, Tucker moved from a 50-acre property in Scio to a 5-acre farm near Waterloo. He’s mobile once more and has been part of the county operations for six months.

Now, his name will appear on the May primary ballot.

Tucker first joined the board in 2009, following a stint as a realtor from 2003 to 2009. He held many positions at Hewlett-Packard from 1972 to 2001 and is a Navy veteran. He has also served on the Lacomb School Board, the Linn County Parks Board, Planning Commission and Budget Committee.

Tucker, in the county press release, said he’s rekindled his love for the job as one of Linn County’s three policy leaders.

“It’s a privilege to serve the citizens of Linn County,” Tucker said. “Since I have returned to the Board of Commissioners, I have realized how much I enjoy the work and people tell me how much they appreciate the work I do and the way I do it.”