More Iowans participate in early voting

by Blake Willadsen, Layout Editor

INDIANOLA, Iowa — More Iowans are taking advantage of early voting, with most ballots likely going toward Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, CBS News reports.

According to AP election results, 43.3 percent of Iowans cast their ballots before Election Day.

Clinton launched efforts early this month to encourage voters to cast an early ballot.

“I’m thinking about (voting early),” said Shannon Werts, a sophomore at Simpson College. “When I was talking to someone earlier today, they’re like, ‘Are you voting early?’ I was like, ‘I think I’m going to wait until the 8th.’ We got talking about the weather and lines and stuff so you can beat the rush of people. I mean, voting earlier than the actual election date, it still counts. So it’s your preference, I guess.”

“You can vote today, or you can vote tomorrow,” said Dr. Andy McGuire, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, at a rally in Indianola. “Get out and vote early so you can help us get through the polls that day.”

Though many voters say they enjoy going to a polling place on Election Day for various reasons, McGuire gave this warning:

“I know people like saying, ‘Oh, I like going to the polls on the day of the election,'” she said. “I have seven kids. I will tell you, things come up. There’s harvest. There’s school. There are things that come up. That test you didn’t think you were going to have comes up. Go vote early, OK?”

First-time voter Levi Lefebure, a freshman at Simpson College, said he’s going to vote on Election Day, but it’s “important for people who aren’t able to get out as easily or at that time.”

The problem, though, is that some voters say they don’t know how to vote early.

A satellite voting site for Indianola voters will be set up from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday in Kent Campus Center at 701 N. C St.

Voters can also vote early in person through Nov. 7 at the Warren County Auditor’s Office at 301N. Buxton St., No. 101, just south of Simpson College’s campus. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every weekday.

“They could either come here into the office and register to vote if they’re not (already registered) or just fill out the registration form to get an absentee ballot and vote while they’re here,” said Warren County Auditor Tracy VanderLinden. “Or they could also mail us a request form requesting a ballot. Once we got that, we could send them a ballot, so whichever is easiest for them.”

VanderLinden said voters should get registered before Oct. 29.

“That way if you go to the polls, it will be a lot easier to get signed in and vote,” she said. “Or it will be easier to come here to this office and also register for or absentee ballot vote.

“Just get out and vote. You don’t have a right to complain if you don’t.”