Iowa’s Secretary of State is predicting a record number of people will cast their November votes with an absentee ballot. Chet Culver, who is also the Commissioner of elections, says roughly 200-thousand absentee ballots have gone out so far and he expects that to hit 300-thousand by election day. He says that would represent roughly 25-percent of the electorate in Iowa, which he says is a “very encouraging sign.” Culver says it’s important that voters carefully read the directions on the absentee ballot — because they’ll be tossed out if they’re not filled in correctly. Culver says you also need to remember that under new voting rules — unless you mail the ballot or return it yourself — only a certified courier can deliver it to the courthouse. He says he feels good about the new absentee ballot system, as he says he feels it ensures the integrity of the absentee process. Culver a democrat says the couriers are trained and certified by the political parties. House Speaker Christopher Rants, a republican from Sioux City, says the process doesn’t eliminate the possibility of fraud. Rants has been critical of a mailing Culver sent out, spending thousands of dollars to send an absentee ballot request to all Iowans. He says the couriers are unnecessary. He says, “If people are really out to create mischief, they’ll create mischief no mater what we do. Rants says he would never hand his ballot to anybody, even if they were a republican. He says the ballot is too important. Rants says it’s just as easy to pop the ballot in the mail and it’s postage free.