Election Day is 40 days away yet many Iowans are already casting their ballots as early voting begins today. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who’s not up for re-election this year, typically votes absentee himself but says he’s not a fan of how the election process is evolving. While 30-percent of Iowans voted absentee in 2010, that number jumped to 43-percent in 2012. This year, 130-thousand Iowans requested absentee ballots, more than twice the number from the last midterm election. Grassley says people who are casting their ballots today might find themselves with a case of voter’s remorse if any sort of scandal errupts during the next 40 days before November 4th. Beginning this morning, Iowans can vote in person at their county auditor’s office, via absentee ballot through the mail, or at temporary “satellite” sites. If you’re annoyed by telephone calls from pollsters, one campaign official says if you vote early, you’ll be taken off all of the calling lists.

Radio Iowa

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Voting for the 2014 General Election in Iowa starts today. Matt Schultz, the state’s commissioner of elections, says over 130-thousand Iowans requested an absentee ballot before the “early voting” period even started. The number of absentee ballot requests is more than double what it was during the last midterm election in 2010. Schultz predicts early voting will increase again in 2014. Iowa Democrats have scheduled 13 different “kickoff” events around the state today to mark the start of early voting. Five Republican candidates running for statewide office this year will be together today, making stops at G-O-P events in five cities. There are a few ways to vote early in Iowa. You can go to your county auditor’s office and vote in person there. You can request an absentee ballot through the mail and, once you’ve marked up that ballot, you can either mail it back or deliver it in person to the county auditor’s office. Finally, many county auditors are setting up temporary “satellite” sites where voters can cast ballots.

Radio Iowa

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