Iowa GOP takes lead in absentee ballots returned

CEDAR RAPIDS - It may not last, but Iowa Republicans have taken the lead in absentee ballots returned for the first time in modern day Iowa early voting.

At the close of business Wednesday, the Iowa Secretary of State Office reported that Republican returns/early votes surpassed Democrats by 305 ballots with 13 days until Election Day, Nov. 4. Since early voting began Sept. 25, Republican absentee returns are up by nearly 50 percent over 2010 while Democratic returns are up just 18 percent compared to the previous midterm election, according to SOS number.

The lead in early voting 'means Republicans have crossed a major Democrat firewall that had given them a boost going into Election Day in previous election cycles,” said Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann. 'Democrats are nowhere near where they need to be, and they are quickly running out of time.”

However, although ballot numbers will fluctuate in the final mad dash to Election Day, Democrats have a 'significant advantage on the ground and are winning the early vote,” according to Iowa Democratic Party spokeswoman Christina Freundlich.

'Democrats are expanding the midterm electorate and are turning out non-midterm voters,” she said. Republicans simply are encouraging their base to vote early.

She pointed to the 18.000-vote advantage Democrats have in ballot requests.

'We expect those ballots to flood in over the final days,” Freundlich said.