CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG TV9)- The election may still be a little less than a month away. But some voting got underway across Iowa on Monday.
Participants in the Women's March to the Polls in Cedar Rapids take off from the NewBo City Market. Voters walked from NewBo to the Linn County Auditor's office about a mile away.
The Linn County Auditor’s office expected to have about 14,000 absentee ballot requests in hand by the end of the day. And some people who didn’t want to wait for an early ballot in the mail came to the auditor’s office to vote absentee in person.
The largest group of voters in Linn County Monday walked from about a mile away.
It was billed as the Women’s March to the Polls.
Several dozen women, along with some men, met in the NewBo District at noon and marched to the auditor’s office.
Several organizers say the divisive Supreme Court fight over nominee Brett Kavanaugh, that just concluded Saturday, was the reason to make some noise on the first early voting day in Iowa.
Anna Wood, one of the organizers, says she expected a larger turnout of women for this election.
“I’ve seen a lot of young people more fired up than ever. Young people are not traditionally the highest turnout group but this year I’m talking to a lot of young people on college campuses who see their self-interest,” she said.
The women’s march group was the largest organized event Monday but poll workers described traffic as steady all day at the auditor’s office.
At least 10 people were even waiting in line for the office to open Monday morning.
Rebecca Stonawski, deputy commissioner of elections, said some people vote early, in person at the auditor’s office, every year.
“That’s an interesting question. I think some people feel, especially older individuals, that they want to come to the polls. They want to see that ballot go into the ballot box,” she said.
Stonaski says for those who want to vote from the comfort of home, absentee ballot packets should be in the mail soon.
Satellite voting also starts soon in Linn County. Voting will be offered at about 30 different locations starting Tuesday and ending October 26th.