The ballots for Iowa’s 2024 General Election have been counted — for a few races they’ve been recounted — and all results are now final. A panel made up of Iowa’s five statewide elected officials has unanimously voted to certify the results.
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate credits local election officials and poll workers for ensuring a safe and secure election. “As we wrap up the General Election and certify the results, I want to take this opportunity to thank Iowans for participating and making their voices heard this election, because voting is the cornerstone of our democracy,” Pate said, “and it’s always inspiring to see Iowans turn out in droves.”
Just over 74% of registered voters cast a vote in this election. Pate calls that “very impressive,” but it’s short of the all-time turn-out record set in 2020. For the first time in 24 years, Republicans cast more absentee votes in Iowa than Democrats. “It was very clear to me at least on the Republican side they were encouraged (that) it was an OK thing to do,” Pate said. “There was resistance four years ago to vote absentee by the Republican Party, to a certain extent, but I think they got much more comfortable with that.”
Absentee ballots accounted for about 40% of all votes cast in Iowa. That includes voting by mail and early in-person voting. Iowa’s presidential electors will meet December 17 to cast the state’s six Electoral College votes for President-Elect Donald Trump.
(By Katarina Sostaric, Iowa Public Radio)