DES MOINES – Early voting begins today in Iowa, and Hillary Clinton is in Des Moines to get a head start.
Hillary Clinton is in Des Moines today, September 29, for the first day of early or “absentee” voting. “Hillary will head to the Des Moines area to lay out her vision of an America that’s stronger together,” her campaign said. The downtown event starts at 10:30 AM.
Meanwhile, Republican Donald Trump was in conservative stronghold Western Iowa Wednesday, as he held a rally in Council Bluffs, getting ahead of the early voting which opens today.
Both candidates and their campaigns seem to realize that Iowa’s 6 electoral votes could be crucial in the November 8 election. Polls show the race in Iowa is neck and neck, with Trump holding a slight advantage in most polls. Both candidates are expected to focus heavily on the “swing states” (Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, and others) with close polls and skip the states where the outcome is virtual certainty (California, Texas, New York, Mississippi, and others).
It can be more convenient to vote absentee rather than going to the polls on election day. If you’re not voting for the first time in Iowa, you don’t need to provide ID to vote by mail or in person. You might need to show ID if you’ve never voted in Iowa before, you registered by mail, and you did not include your Iowa driver’s license number, Iowa non-operator’s ID card number, or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number on your registration form.
Acceptable forms of ID include:
– Current photo ID
– A copy of a current utility bill
– A copy of a current bank statement
– A copy of a current government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address
A voter may vote by absentee ballot at the county auditor’s office beginning Thursday, September 29th. Regular business hours are typically 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A local note: The Mason City council runoff will be Tuesday, December 6, 2016. In-person absentee voting begins Monday, November 14th.
