A record number of Iowans cast ballots in the 2008 election according to the latest data. The state’s Executive Council met Monday to certify the results of the November 4th election.
"These are the final numbers from the statewide canvas, shows we have a record turnout here in Iowa of over 1,546,000 voters," Secretary of State Michael Mauro says. That’s nearly 25,000 more Iowans than had participated in the last presidential election in 2004.
Mauro had expected turnout to be even higher. "Everything indicated that (higher turnout)," Mauro says. "The amount of early voters was 100,000 than we had four years ago so some of those early voters were, obviously, people who were going to go to the polls (on Election Day but decided to vote early), but number-wise, that was a record in the total number of people who participated."
The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot was the same as in 2004. "I don’t think we’re going to be leading the country percentage wise, but I hope we’re going to be in the top 10," Mauro says. "We had…between 72 and 73 percent of our voters participate and we had about 557,000 participate by early, absentee ballot and that definitely is a big, big number."
The executive council will meet again next Monday, December 1, to certify the results of four legislative races where recounts have been conducted. This afternoon, Blawk Hawk County officials announced Senator Jeff Danielson of Waterloo finished ahead of challenger Walt Rogers by 22 votes.
The other three races where there’ve been recounts are for seats in the Iowa House. "Official" election results can be viewed on Secretary of State’s Web site, www.sos.state.ia.us .