Iowa absentee ballot requests nearly double 2010 number

CEDAR RAPIDS - Almost twice as many Iowans have requested absentee ballots this year than four years ago, according to the Iowa Secretary of State Office.

The number of requests has increased 97 percent from 56,725 in 2010 - the last midterm election and the last time Iowa elected a governor - to 112,178 this year with 43 days until Nov. 4, Election Day.

Early voting begins in Iowa Sept. 25 - 40 days before Election Day. In addition to mail-in ballots, some county auditors operate satellite voting sites in addition to in-person voting in the auditors' offices. Casting a vote in an auditor's office is counted as an absentee ballot request.

Whether they vote early or the day of the election, Secretary of State Matt Schultz encouraged all eligible Iowans to take full advantage of their right to vote by registering to vote and casting a ballot.

'Every vote counts and it's important that Iowans participate to make sure their voices are heard,” he said.

According to his numbers, Democrats requested 34,218 absentee ballots in 2010 and 57,869 this year; Republicans requested 12,710 in 2010 and 31,099 this year; no party voters asked for 9,664 four years ago and 23,043 this year; and other requested 33 ballots in 2010 and 167 this year.

Percentagewise, this year Democrats have requested 52 percent of the ballots, Republicans 28 percent, no party 21 percent and other .0.14 percent.

Linn County has seen a 140 percent increase in absentee ballot requests from 3,375 four years ago to 8,095 this year, according to Tim Box, deputy commissioner of elections. That breaks down to 4,263 or 53 percent from Democrats, 1,954, 24 percent, from Republican, 1,861, 23 percent, from no party, and 17 from other.

In Johnson County, 7,761 absentee ballot requests had been received through Sept. 12. That's a 148 percent increase from 3,135 in 2010, according to the Auditor's Office.

'This doesn't count the three-inch pile that's come in (Monday), both from the mail and from Democratic field canvassers,” said John Deeth of the Auditor's Office.

As of Friday, there were 5,246 (68 percent) Democratic requests, 687, (9 percent) GOP requests, 1,803 (23 percent) no party, 17 (2 percent) Green and eight Libertarian.

In 2010, the requests were 2,369 (76 percent) Democratic, 318 (10 percent) GOP, 447 (14 percent) no party and one Green.

To track absentee ballot numbers statewide, visit http://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/2014/general/absenteestats.pdf.

For Linn County numbers, visit http://gis.linncounty.org/data/elections/2014/11042014/party_issued.pdf.

Johnson County numbers can be found at http://www.johnson-county.com/dept_auditor.aspx?id=16018.