Iowa voter registration hits 95 percent

Saturday was the deadline to register to vote in Iowa — and 95 percent of eligible Iowans are now registered. About two-point-one million Iowans are registered to vote. That’s six percent more than were registered in the last presidential election of 2000. Secretary of State Chet Culver is the state Commissioner of Elections. Culver says it’s likely Iowa will lead the nation in voter participation on November 2nd. Culver says it’s “unbelieable” that 95 percent of eligible voters have registered. Republicans, though, are criticizing Culver, who is a democrat, for telling county auditors to let Iowans vote if they’ve signed their form, even if they didn’t also check the box indicating they’re a U-S citizen. Senate President Jeff Lamberti, a republican from Ankeny, has gone so far as to say Culver should resign. “Maybe you can play some of these games in other states…I know you can’t in Iowa,” Lamberti says. “To try to change these rules in the middle of the game…I think the people are going to be disappointed in the actions of Chet Culver.” Culver says he’s staying put. “It’s unfortunate that everything comes down to a pathetic partisan attack. I’m trying to stay above the partisan fray,” Culver says. Culver says Lamberti’s perhaps too focused on the battle for partisan control of the legislature, and Culver suggests Lamberti just let others do their own jobs.