Iowa is one of just is one of just 14 states that allow “straight ticket” voting — letting Iowans check a single box on the ballot to cast a vote for every candidate from one party. Drake University political science professor Arthur Sanders suggests the option fits with voting trends. “As our political system has become more polarized, we find less split ticket voting,” Sanders says. “People are much more likely now to be consistently Republican or consistently Democratic.”

According to the Iowa Secretary of State’s office, for example, 43 percent of the ballots cast in Linn County two years ago were “straight ticket” voters. Data isn’t available for all 99 counties, but for the 81 counties that did, about one-quarter of the ballots in the 2014 General Election came from “straight ticket” voters. Sanders says incumbency is a major factor that leads to “split ticket” voting. For example, in 1990 Republican Governor Terry Branstad beat his Democratic opponent by 22 points, while Democratic Senator Tom Harkin won reelection that same year by nine points. Since there’s an open Senate race in Iowa in 2014, Sanders says a decisive Branstad win could help the Republican candidate, Joni Ernst.

“Coattails? The best political science evidence we have is that coattails can matter under certain kinds of elections under certain kinds of circumstances,” Sanders says, with a laugh.

Democrats like Bruce Braley are counting on the Democratic Party’s effort to get Iowans who are less inclined to vote in non-presidential elections to cast a ballot this year. Democrats have 35 “field offices” around the state for their outreach to prospective voters. Republicans have 13, aided by the outside group “Americans for Prosperity” which has five other offices around the state from which it is deploying vote-seekers.

(Radio Iowa)

A Glenwood car dealership has been hit twice by theft. According to Glenwood Police, Best Finish Auto reported the theft of two vehicles after keys to the vehicles were stolen from the dealership at 209 Sharp Street, in Glenwood. Neither of the vehicles were equipped with license plates. The missing vehicles include a maroon 2007 Chevrolet Silverado K1500 pickup and a red 1998 Dodge Dakota pickup. Anyone with information about the theft or location of the trucks is asked to contact the Glenwood Police Department at 712-527-9920.

In other news, the Glenwood P-D reports 47-year old Lisa Bolan, of Glenwood was arrested Friday on a Mills County warrant for Probation Violation. Her bond was set at $5000 cash or surety. And, authorities are investigating a hit and run accident that occurred Sunday evening at the Casey’s store in Glenwood.

Officials say a 2000 Oldsmobile Alero parked in front of the store was struck by a small red, older model pickup truck. The driver of the other vehicle, a red-headed female in her mid-50’s with a medical boot on her left foot,  left the scene without exchanging insurance information. Damage to the car was estimated at $500. The accident victim was unable to get the offending vehicles’ license plate number.

The Creston Police Department reports three arrests over the weekend. On Sunday, 32-year old Stephanie Marie Halterman, of Des Moines, was arrested just after 11-a.m. in the 800 block of Wyoming Avenue, on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. Halterman was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on $300 bond.

Early Saturday morning, Creston Police arrested 28-year old Daman Matthew Wells, of Creston, and 26-year old Andrew Scott Robb, of Kellerton. Both men were arrested on OWI/1st offense charges and later released on $1,000 bond, each.

Authorities said also, a Creston woman reported someone had entered her home in the 400 block of south Vine Street, and took a Toshiba laptop computer. The incident happened someone between 2:45-p.m. Oct. 8th and 7:25-a.m. on Oct. 13th.  The loss was estimated at $200.