Early voting ends, 49 percent cast ballots already
T-R photo by Joe Fisher — A line of people wait to vote at the old fire station in Marshalltown on Monday. More than 11,000 residents voted either absentee or early before the Tuesday election.
On Monday, Marshall County poll workers prepare early ballots already cast. The ballots are removed from the election envelopes, but kept in the secrecy envelopes until Tuesday when they will be sent through the counting machine.
T-R photo by Joe Fisher — A line of people wait to vote at the old fire station in Marshalltown on Monday. More than 11,000 residents voted either absentee or early before the Tuesday election.
On Monday, Marshall County poll workers prepare early ballots already cast. The ballots are removed from the election envelopes, but kept in the secrecy envelopes until Tuesday when they will be sent through the counting machine.
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Early voting ended at 5 p.m. on Monday in Marshall County and throughout Iowa. The ballots are waiting, safe and secure, to be counted Tuesday.
Marshall County Auditor Nan Benson said they will begin counting the absentee and early ballots right away and expects to have the results by 2 p.m. However, those will not be released until 9 p.m., after the polls close.
"Except for today's ballots, they are ready to go into the machine tomorrow," she said.
A significant percentage of registered voters in Marshall County opted to cast their votes through the mail or early. Out of the 23,496 voters, Benson said 11,498 -- or 49 percent -- have made their voices heard.
On Monday, there was a line of people outside of the old fire station where polling was located.
"People were lined up out the door and down the sidewalk to Linn Street," Benson said. "We had 624 in-person voters and 88 mail-in or walk-in ballots."
Due to the increasing rate of COVID-19 cases, she said they also had an increase in the amount of curbside voters. Benson said it is the same courtesy given to handicapped people. However, people with COVID-19 are asked to wear masks, even though they are in their cars.
"Just call the office and we will go and get the paperwork," she said. "We give them the ballot and stay back from the car. I think curbside is an option not a lot of people know exist. We will bring the ballot to your vehicle and you don't have to leave your car."
Any registered voter who managed to get in line by 5 p.m. on Monday was given a ticket to ensure they could vote. Benson said if someone got in line at 5:01 p.m., they were too late and would have to wait until Election Day.
The same rule applies to Tuesday. Anyone not in line to cast their vote by 9 p.m. will lose their chance.
"We will give them a ticket so we know they can vote," Benson said.
Polling locations:
All locations are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Nov. 3.
Marshalltown:
• Public Library, 105 W. Boone St.
• Miller Middle School West Gym, 125 S. 11th St.
• Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1600 S. Center St.
• YMCA New Gym Building, 108 Washington St.
Albion:
• Fire Station, 100 S. Main St.
Clemons:
• Clemons School, 306 Bevins St.
Gilman:
• City Hall, 128 N. Main St.
Green Mountain:
• Community Building, 111 Woolston St.
Le Grand:
• Community Building, 206 N. Vine St.
Liscomb:
• City Hall, 114 Main St.
Melbourne:
• Rec Center, 613 Main St.
State Center:
• City Hall, 118 E. Main St.
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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.