A line to vote snaked back and forth and down the hallway at times at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex in West Des Moines. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
WEST DES MOINES — Dallas County residents waited in line upwards of an hour Tuesday at the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex to vote in the 2024 election.
Ajay Kalra said he didn’t mind the nearly one hour he waited in line to cast his vote for Donald Trump and other Republicans on the ticket.
“I kind of like the chaos of it,” Kalra said. “It’s more efficient, probably, to go out in advance, but I look forward to (voting).”
Kalra said this was the first time he had voted for Trump. He said he didn’t like the “evolution of the Democratic Party,” and cited concerns for the border and the wars abroad as the primary reasons for his vote.
Similarly, Jennifer McClain said she voted differently in this election than she has previously because she wanted to vote to protect women’s rights around abortion.
McClain did not say who she voted for, but said she waited an hour and 10 minutes.
John Strathman, the chair of the West Des Moines 322 and 222 precincts, said waits throughout the day had ranged from 35 minutes to over an hour.
“It’s been busy all day,” Strathman said. “It’s been constant lines since we opened.”
Strathman said most of the bottleneck has been at the desk with people registering to vote.
By 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, the polling place, located just inside the main doors of the recreation center, had processed just over 1,000 ballots.
Chris Whalen said he was in and out of the polling place in about 40 minutes. Whalen said he voted for Trump and other Republican candidates on the ticket, which he said was consistent with how he has voted in the past.
“The health of our nation is a good reason to come out today,” Whalen said. “Doesn’t make waiting fun, but it’s a good activity to do.”
Aaron Hamrock waited in line for about an hour and a half at the recreation center. Hamrock said he voted for Kamala Harris for president, which was “pretty consistent” with how he has voted in the past.
He said “everything” on the ballot was important to him and he chose local candidates based on their individual policies.
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