Johnson County Iowa turnout

A brief dispatch

Quiet enough that I can take a quick break.

Election day turnout is down a bit from 2004, mostly because so many people have already voted. Down some in Iowa City precincts, where many precincts had over half of registered voters already voting early. Holding at the `04 level in the rurals, where more people still like to vote on Election Day, and up in a few high growth areas like North Liberty.

Election Day registration is a big hit. 1,228 in Johnson County as of 3 PM, with student precincts and North Liberty the hot spots. It's really nice not to have to look people in the eye and say "I'm sorry, you can't vote." My first vote was an Election Day registration. I took a letter addressed to my dorm room down to the student union and voted for William Proxmire (which tells you how old I am).

Much quieter on the ballot challenge front than four years ago, due to changes in the law and changes in political strategy (like not doorknocking the student neighborhoods in June in a town where everyone moves August 1st). It seems like the ballot challenge action is in Grinnell.

The first polls in the nation close in an hour. We'll know soon.