Snow and rain may dampen turnout in today’s election. Some election officials have been predicting record turn-out in Iowa in an off-year election when folks aren’t voting for President. But rain on Primary Election Day this past June depressed turn-out in eastern Iowa, and today’s wet and sometimes slippery conditions may drive down voter participation, particularly among older voters who don’t want to chance a fall. In 1998 — the last off-year election — 55 percent of eligible Iowa voters cast ballots. In the last Presidential election year of 2000, turnout was 72 percent in Iowa. Election watchers aren’t predicting that kind of response from voters this year, but high demand of absentee ballots and heavier use of early voting polling sites prompts some to predict turnout of up to 60 percent.
Iowa's Radio News Network
