Absentee vote in Iowa: Better for the GOP than 2002, at least in one county (NRO's Geraghty)

Blog Row (NRO) ^ | 11/4/06 | Jim Geraghty

[LS]

In Black Hawk County, Iowa, usually Democratic territory, the election office has seen an interesting shift in who's requesting absentee ballots this year: Through Wednesday, absentee ballots have been returned to the county election office by 3,994 registered Democrats, 2,264 registered Republicans and 1,396 voters who list no party affiliation. But compared to six days before the 2002 election, the number of absentee ballots returned by Democrats are down 780 ballots while Republicans enjoyed a net gain of 391 ballots. Absentee balloting among those listed with another party or "no party" also are up 331 ballots over 2002.

Black Hawk County Republican Chairman Steve Schmitt said he thinks the surge in GOP absentee ballots this year may have something to do with a more upfront and aggressive approach being taken by President George Bush in recent weeks.

[pepperdog]

Actually absentee votes are not counted at all unless there is a race close enough that they could be a determining factor. For instance if there is a race with a winner having only 200 votes more than the loser and there are 300 absentee votes, then the absentees will be counted. Because there is a possibility that 201 or more of the 300 absentees could be for the losing candidate thereby changing the outcome of the race.

[RasterMaster]

LOL! me too!

[Common Tator]

I have heard that the absentee ballots are NOT counted until several days after the election has been called.

Only if the number of absentee ballots could not change the outcome..

For example if one candidate had 10,000 votes and the other had 9,000 votes and the number of absentee votes is 500 would they call the race. Obviously if all 500 votes went for the candidate with 9,000 votes, the candidate with the 10,000 votes would win 10,000 to 9,500.

If the absentee ballots could cause the leader to change they do not call the race untill the absentee ballots are counted.

[Bahbah]

Thanks, CT. Did you see the comment at #9? It appears that Illinois has altered its procedures for this election amd will count the absentees in advance. Would that not make it easier to let local precients know what numbers they needed to turn in? But who would ever do that, right!

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

The key to the 1st is the QC. Whalen is well known and liked there and I understand that Nussle will be there Monday. He should pull in votes that would counter any Dem majorities in the other cities.

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

QC?

Sorry, I'm not familiar with that. Is that a city or a region?

[streetpreacher]

That doesn't seem to bode well.

[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

Never mind, I see QC stands for Quad Cities. Stupid me, I forgot to read further up the thread. :P

[Intolerant in NJ]

I am an election judge in Illinois and they told us that all the absentee ballots will be counted in downtown Chicago and will be tabulated before the polls open. In the past, they used to deliver them to the precincts...watched a very interesting documentary on the voting process on PBS (sorry) late last night - I believe it was taped in Marian (sp?) Indiana - absentees were handled by being sent to the precincts as you say was done previously in your area - the program emphasized that all across the country voting is supposed to be a local/county process - that absentees will now be counted in downtown Chicago rather than locally makes me suspicious that only enough will be counted as are needed to win various races for the 'rats - I hope the 'pubs are on top of this development......

[IOWAfan]

as far as I know, in Iowa, Early Voting is the same as absentee, you just do it in person.

they may set up an actual booth differently a few days ahead of NOV 7, but I voted a few weeks ago and there was just a booth where you filled out an absentee ballot that I got from the clerk after filling out papers.

[IOWAfan]

is there an election thread ping list? are you running it?

I would like to be on it if there is...

thanks

[Hildy]

What exactly does an election judge do?

[Bahbah]

Thanks. It seems that how these things are handled differs and there is no set procedure.

[LS]

I am not, nor would I run it. I may be busy the whole day.

[Iowa Granny]

Actually absentee votes are not counted at all unless there is a race close enough that they could be a determining factor.

Actually, this is NOT the case everywhere. In my county, Absentee ballots are counted on Monday and are the first to be reported on Tuesday night when the polls close.

[Iowa Granny]

QC?

Quad Cities. Davenport (IA), Rock Island (IL), Moline (IL)& Bettendorf (IA).

[Iowa Granny]

Eastern Iowa votes can be tracked at: KGAN.com, KCRG.com and gazetteonline.com

Central Iowa votes can be tracked at KCCI.com

Please ad other sites known to be reporting results to this list.

[wally-balls]

Maybe--just maybe, the pelosi cancer is sinking in.
__________________________________________________

Pelonoma?

[pepperdog]

I should not have assumed it was the same all over the country should I? I like the way your country (state?) does it as it assures all votes are counted. I wonder what the percentage of actually counted absentee votes is throughout the country.