The Cass County Democratic Party officially opened its Election Headquarters at 511 Chestnut Street in Atlantic, Tuesday, with 32 voters attending its Open House. Sherry Toelle, Cass County Democratic Party Chairperson, says former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge was the keynote speaker at the event, acting as a surrogate for President Obama as well as speaking from her twenty years of experience in the political arena. Toelle says Judge stated the Democrats running for Statehouse seats were some of the best candidates that she has seen in years.

She expressed the need for a large voter turnout this election as it is the most important election of this generation, citing controversial issues such as Medicare and Social Security stability, voter suppression issues across the nation, and health care coverage for all citizens. In addition, John Rose, candidate for Iowa House District #21, running against Jack Drake, spoke of his slate of issues, including education, educational funding, property tax reform, infrastructure, and Obamacare’s expansion of Medicaid funding for the states.Rose cited concerns that the current Governor has expressed negativity toward the Medicaid expansion, despite increased federal funding for the program.

The Cass County Democratic Party’s Headquarters is open 7 days a week.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports General Election ballots have been delivered to the Auditor’s office. Requests for Absentee ballots (those cast prior to ‘election day’ by mail or at Auditor’s office) may be sent or brought to the County Auditor’s office. First day to vote in the auditor’s office is Thursday, September 27th, 2012 and the last day to vote in the auditor’s office is Monday, November 5th, 2012. Absentee ballots may be requested by mail or may be voted at the Cass County Auditor’s Office during normal business hours. In addition to regular office hours, the office of Cass County Auditor will be open Saturday, October 27, 2012 from 8 AM thru 5 PM and Saturday, November 3, 2012 from 9 AM thru 5 PM.

Sunderman notes that this year, Cass County will have two Satellite Voting Stations, to provide in-person absentee voting at places other than the courthouse. At the satellite voting station you must mark the absentee ballot and leave it with the officials similar to the process used at the courthouse. You cannot take the ballot home with you. The two satellite stations, the two days, the two times and the ballots available will be: at The MASSENA PUBLIC LIBRARY on October 15th, 2012 from 2:00 p.m. thru 8:00 p.m., and ballots that will be available are those for Edna Township, Victoria Township, Massena Township, City of Massena, Union Township and the City of Cumberland; the other Satellite station is at the GRISWOLD COMMUNITY BUILDING,on October 17th, 2012 from 2:00 p.m. thru 8:00 p.m. and ballots that will be available, are those for Pleasant Township, Noble Township, City of Griswold, Bear Grove Township, Cass Township and the City of Lewis

In order to vote in Iowa a person must be registered in the person’s current county of residence, under the person’s present name, and at the person’s current address. Registration forms are available at the county auditor’s office, many State of Iowa service offices and on the Secretary of State’s web site: sos.state.ia.us The county election commissioner recommends that persons not currently registered or who have moved since last registering and are planning to vote in the November General Election pre-register in the office of the County Auditor as soon as possible. You may register or re-register and vote absentee on the same day.

You may also update your registration as you update your address for your driver’s license. Since your Iowa driver’s license is often used as official identification, it’s important that the data shown is accurate. Iowa law requires residents to notify the Department of Transportation within 30 days of an address change. The easiest method of changing your address is to visit an Iowa driver’s license station. In Cass County that station is in the Cass County Treasurer’s office.

For additional information, call the Cass County Auditor’s office at 712-243-4570.

Cass County Engineer Charles Marker says work on one bridge project in the northern part of the County is almost finished, while the bid letting for another project is slated to take place in December. Marker says work on a high overhead truss Bridge (#440) just west of the Buck Creek United Methodist Church, is almost finished.

Marker says emergency work on Bridge # 272, located about three-miles south of Wiota, was conducted, and the weight restriction set in-place earlier, has been removed. The bridge inspection crew had said the previously un-posted weight limit bridge needed to be reduced to an 8-ton limit, because a support pillar was rotted away at ground level. Marker says they utilized steel piling to replace the rotted 5-foot section, and they re-tensioned the I-beam overhead. The bridge is now open for the full legal load limit.

And, bid letting for Bridge #345 across the Nishnabotna River located near the old Research Farm southwest of Atlantic, is scheduled to take place on December 18^th. It will be up to the contractor to determine when they are to start on the project.  Marker says also, each instance of rain helps his Secondary Road crews make progress on eliminating some of the “wash board” conditions on County gravel roads, but because the roads dry out quickly, they are unable to work on section of the county until rain has fallen, and even then, only for a few days at a time, but they are making some progress.