(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s two major political parties are emphasizing different metrics as Election Day draws near — the new “Iowa Poll” showing Democrat Kamala Harris with a narrow lead and early voting stats showing Iowa Republicans with an edge.  Governor Kim Reynolds has been asking Republicans a question: “How many in here have voted already?” Nearly every person at a recent gathering of central Iowa conservatives raised their hand. “Woohoo! That’s awesome,” Reynolds told the crowd. “Vote early. Bank that vote and then go get 10-12people to the polls…This is what I’m starting to see and the numbers are reflecting it.”

Reynolds helped raise the money for the state party’s plan to reach voters who asked for an absentee ballot, but haven’t cast it, or get infrequent voters to cast a ballot on Election Day.  “We have limited resources,” Reynolds says, “and we can use those resources more effectively to ballot chase or to get people that maybe don’t always go to the polls to get them to the polls.” By Friday night, Republicans had an early voting edge over Democrats of about one-and-a-half percent. It’s the first time since 2014 that Republicans have been ahead in early voting.

“It’s looking good,” Reynolds told Radio Iowa Friday night. “When you look at how close it is right now compared to where it was in 2022 and compared to where it was in previous elections, we’re in a really good place.” On Saturday night, Democrats began citing the Des Moines Register’s latest “Iowa Poll.” It found Kamala Harris leading Donald Trump by three points among Iowans who intend to vote or have already cast an early vote.

Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart says it’s an exciting development, but she offered a word of caution to Democrats. “Remember, this is just a poll,” Hart said, “and what really matters is that Iowans show up and make their voices heard.” Hart gave a pep talk Saturday morning to a group Clinton County Democrats before they headed out to talk to voters. “I know it’s crazy, but there are some people out there that have not made up their minds yet,” Hart said. “Your phone call or your know on the door could make the difference.”

Former Governor Tom Vilsack cast his vote early late last week and then met with a group of local Democrats in the town square in Adel. “They weren’t honking because of traffic,” Vilsack said as a passing motorist honked. “They’re honking because they saw the signs. That is an indication that there’s something going on here.”

County election officials are urging Iowans who still have an absentee ballot to take it to their county auditor’s office, since absentee ballots have to be in the county auditor’s office by 8 p.m. Tuesday or they will not be counted. Voting at neighborhood precincts starts at 7 a.m. Tuesday.