Iowa early ballots reach 265,803 as mail votes drop

Iowa voters have cast 265,803 early ballots as of Saturday, October 24, according to the Secretary of State’s office. This figure represents a 33.3 percent increase over the 199,358 ballots received by the same date in 2022. The state is halfway through its 20-day pre-election voting window before the November 3 general election.

The surge in participation is driven largely by in-person voting at county auditor offices and satellite locations. As of this morning, 93,476 Iowans voted early in person, up nearly 35 percent from the 69,461 recorded in October 2022. Satellite voting has seen an even steeper climb, with 94,309 ballots cast at these sites compared to 24,552 four years ago. Polk County, which contains most of the third Congressional district, has reported particularly high usage at satellite locations.

Partisan breakdowns show distinct shifts in behavior. Registered Democrats have submitted 134,408 early ballots, a 23 percent increase from 2022. Registered Republicans have cast 83,880 ballots, up 34 percent. The largest growth has occurred among no-party voters, who have cast 46,689 ballots, a 72 percent jump from the 27,144 recorded at this stage of the last midterm cycle.

Contrasting with the in-person rise, voting by mail has declined. Auditors have received 67,602 mailed ballots, 67 via email, and 2,776 from health care facilities. Including 7,573 ballots returned through drop boxes, the total for remote voting stands at 77,948. This is a 26 percent decrease from the 105,342 ballots received through mail, email, facility, and drop box channels by October 31, 2022.

Political analysts caution against interpreting these figures as a predictor of the final result. Historical data shows that early voting trends do not always align with election day outcomes. In 2014, Joni Ernst won by more than 118,000 votes despite a 24,000-vote deficit in early returns. Similarly, in 2018, Democrats held an early lead of approximately 40,000 votes but lost key statewide races.

Voters who have received a ballot by mail but have not yet returned it are advised to hand-deliver the completed form to their county auditor. Any ballot arriving after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day will not be counted, regardless of the postmark. Those voting early in person must bring a valid form of identification, and proof of address if they have moved since the last election or are registering for the first time.

The 265,803 ballots counted by the close of business on October 24 amount to at most 20 percent of the projected 1.3 million total participants. Campaigns continue to monitor voter lists to determine whether these early ballots come from consistent voters or new participants who missed previous midterm elections.