More GOP than Democrats voting by absentee ballot in primary election

Republicans are voting by absentee ballot at more than three times the rate of Democrats, the Iowa Secretary of State's Office reported May 21.

As of Friday, 9,209 ballots for the June 8 primary election have been received by county auditor offices across the state, Secretary Michael Mauro said.

There have been 7,069 Republicans who have voted by absentee ballot and 2,140 Democrats.

While Democrats voting by absentee ballot typically outnumber Republicans, primary contests in the 1

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, 2

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and 3

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congressional districts as well as for state legislative races have produced heavier GOP use of early voting.

Republicans have requested 14,964 absentee ballots compared to 5,305 Democrats, Mauro said.

 The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot is 5 p.m. June 4.

Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before June 7. Voters may still request absentee ballots in-person at their county auditor's office until close of business on June 7, the day before the primary election.

County auditors' offices will be open for in-person absentee voting June 5. Voters may check with their county auditor for business hours on this day. In addition, voted absentee ballots requested by mail may be hand-delivered to the county auditor's office until the close of the polls at 9 p.m. on Primary Day.

In order to participate in Iowa's Primary Election on June 8, eligible voters will need to register either as a Democrat or as a Republican.

For more, visit

www.iowavotes.gov.