DES MOINES, Iowa —
Early voting turnout in Polk and Dallas counties is breaking records, with thousands of voters lining up to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day.
In Polk County, voting enthusiasm is on full display at the election office, where voters have lined up daily since early voting began two weeks ago, sometimes waiting for an hour to cast their ballots.
“I’m amazed at that. We can do this publicly and safely and without a lot of rioting and things that happen around the world, and that we can do it. And it’s our privilege and it’s our right, and we should do it,” said Mary Meier, a voter in Polk County.
Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald said Wednesday saw a record-breaking 1,700 early in-person voters. He added that early voting numbers have already surpassed those from 2022, with more than 61,000 early votes cast so far, compared to about 55,000 in 2022. Statewide, 373,386 early votes have been recorded, with 48% from Democrats, 33% from Republicans, and 19% from voters with no party affiliation.
“That’s a lot of people going through the line. It’s a long ballot,” Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald noted that historically, Democrats tend to vote earlier, while Republicans often wait until Election Day to cast their ballots.
In Dallas County, Auditor Todd Halbur reported that early voting numbers are also exceeding those from the last midterm election. In 2022, about 900 voters per day cast their ballots, but this year, the daily average has risen to nearly 1,200. Dallas County has already recorded 12,900 early votes, close to surpassing the 13,900 total from 2022, with four days of early voting still remaining.
“I think people are excited for new opportunities and maybe a change in leadership. So I think that line reflects it,” said Kacy Flaherty-Tarpey, a voter in Dallas County.
Former President Donald Trump has said, without evidence, that mail-in balloting is corrupt. Fitzgerald said this misinformation is prompting more voters to cast their ballots in person this year.
“It’s been one of those trends that we’re seeing. We saw a little bit in the primary, but we didn’t anticipate that there would be more in our office than by mail,” Fitzgerald said.
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This content is imported from infogram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.