Voters at the Polk County election office in Des Moines fill out their ballots on the first day of early voting, Oct. 16, 2024. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
As early voting began in Iowa Wednesday, candidates and voters expressed enthusiasm about polls opening for the general election and encouraged others to make plans to vote.
Iowans were lined up all the way down the block waiting to enter the Polk County election office in Des Moines just before 8 a.m. Wednesday, the first day of early voting in Iowa for the 2024 general election.
Once the doors opened, the line moved inside but voters waited about a half-hour to move to the counter to check in and get their ballots.
Cheyenne Smallwood, a 21-year-old from Des Moines, voted for the first time Wednesday morning. She came with her mother to the polling location and called the experience “interesting and a bit nerve-wracking.”
Smallwood said the process for early voting was straightforward, and encouraged other first-time, young voters to participate.
“We need to get out and vote, we are the majority,” Smallwood said. “And if we get out (to vote), then that can shift things. So go with what you feel in your heart is correct.”
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Both of the candidates for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District were there talking to reporters about early voting – but only one planned to cast a ballot on Monday.
U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn kisses his 4-year-old daughter, Aliya, after casting his ballot on the first day of early voting Oct. 16, 2024 at the Polk County Election Office. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican running for reelection, joined the line with his 4-year-old daughter, Aliya. He said he’s encouraging all Iowans to consider early voting.
“We’re voting early today, because I think it’s important to show that we have not only faith in our election system here in Iowa, which is one of the best in the country, but we also never know what’s going to happen on Election Day itself,” he said.
Nunn, asked about former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks disparaging early voting – the GOP presidential nominee has called it “stupid” even as he has encouraged his supporters to vote early – praised election security in Iowa.
“Here in Iowa, we helped write the election laws,” Nunn said. “We feel very confident that this is a really solid system.”
The Republican majority in the Legislature passed a law in 2021 that shortened the window for early voting to 20 days from 29 days. Before 2017, Iowans had 40 days for absentee voting. This is the first presidential election under the new rules. Supporters cited election security but Democrats said the change left too little time for voters to be confident in returning ballots by mail.
“Your ballot needs to get returned as soon as possible. It’s just a very tight window,” state Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, said before heading to the election office with a group of Democratic candidates and activists. “Those restrictions have made it harder to vote.”
Lanon Baccam, center, Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, speaks to reporters as early voting begins in Iowa. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Lanon Baccam, Nunn’s Democratic challenger, also spoke in favor of early voting. “We know that there’s a lot of people showing up here in Iowa today and across multiple counties, and we’ve been pushing folks to vote early, and there’s no question that that’s a really critical part of ensuring people get a chance to voice their opinions in this race,” he said.
But Baccam was not among the early voters in Des Moines on Wednesday. “I’m going to save my vote,” he said.
Kim Callahan, a Democratic organizer who voted early in Des Moines, said it “felt great” to see Iowans turn out for early voting, and was excited to personally cast her ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in the presidential election.
“It was a good feeling, had lots of good conversations, people talking about waiting … to do their Arizona trips until they could vote today,” Callahan said. “So a woman is leaving tomorrow morning, she said. It’s just great to see the activation and people being excited to come out.”
A voter submits their ballot for the 2024 general election on the first day of early voting, Oct. 16, 2024, at the Polk County Election Office in Des Moines. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate encouraged Iowans to make a plan to vote in the upcoming election, either absentee voting or on Election Day.
Alongside the start of in-person early voting, Wednesday was the first day county auditors could begin sending absentee ballots by mail to Iowa voters who submitted requests. Pate said Iowans should not be alarmed if they do not receive their requested ballot Wednesday.
“October 16 is the first day absentee ballots may be mailed out, so they shouldn’t necessarily expect the absentee ballot to be in their mailbox right on the first day,” Pate said in a statement. “Once you do receive your absentee ballot, it’s important to fill it out and return it quickly. We recommend accounting for around 5 days in the mail to be safe and avoid any postal delays.”
The final day to request an absentee ballot to be mailed is Oct. 21. Absentee ballots must be received by local county auditors’ offices by the time polls close on Election Day, 8 p.m., Nov. 5, to be counted.
As of data pulled Wednesday morning by the Secretary of State’s office, a total of 207,938 ballots have been requested by Iowa voters.
Pate also warned Iowans to be wary of information about the 2024 election coming from non-official sources, encouraging people to visit VoterReady.Iowa.Gov for more information.
“In today’s digital environment, instances of misinformation are on the rise,” Pate said. “Iowa voters should verify any election information they receive. Your trusted sources on election information are the Iowa Secretary of State’s office and your local county auditor’s office.”
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