IOWA, USA — With Election Day almost here, millions of Americans have already cast their vote through early voting.
In Iowa, early voting locations have seen long lines of excited voters, ready to make their voices heard.
"I think it's really important to vote because it's a privilege to do so," voter Daniela Pintor-Mendoza told Local 5.
Here's how many voters in Iowa have taken to the polls so far.
Local 5 will have live election results on Tuesday, Nov. 5 from the presidential race, all four of Iowa’s Congressional races, the Iowa Legislature and the balance of power in the U.S. House and Senate.
How many people voted early in Iowa?
As of Nov. 4 at 2 p.m., 648,686 people have voted early in Iowa, according to the Iowa Secretary of State's Office. That number includes Iowans who voted via mail-in ballot, as well as in-person absentee voters.
A total of 667,724 ballots were issued to Iowa voters, which means 19,038 ballots have yet to be returned.
Absentee ballots must be received by the county auditor's office by the time polls close, 8 p.m., on Election Day.
Here are some early voting returns from across the Des Moines Metro:
- Boone County: 6,479
- Dallas County: 25,287
- Jasper County: 7,832
- Madison County: 4,063
- Marion County: 6,901
- Polk County: 86,301
- Story County: 17,537
- Warren County: 12,528
How does this year's early voting compare to 2020?
The most recent early voting data from the Iowa Secretary of State's office shows less people are early voting in 2024 than were in 2020.
955,971 people had early voted in Iowa as of Nov. 2, 2020, the day before the 2020 election.
In comparison, only 648,686 people have voted early in Iowa as of the morning of Nov. 4, the day before the 2024 election. That's a difference of 307,285 voters.
While early voting numbers are expected to increase after Monday, it's unlikely Iowa will see the same early voter turnout as it did in 2020. By the end of early voting in 2020, 1,003,794 Iowans had submitted absentee ballots.
Higher turnout during early voting in 2020 could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the Iowa Secretary of State's Office sent out absentee ballot request forms to active registered voters.
In addition, a law passed in 2021 shortened Iowa's absentee voting timeframe. County auditors can send absentee ballots only 20 days before Election Day, compared to 29 days previously. Furthermore, in elections prior to 2021, absentee ballots would be counted as long as they were postmarked the day before Election Day.
Now, absentee ballots must be physically at the auditor's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
