When I voted Nov. 4 at my precinct at the Jasper County Fairgrounds in Colfax, I was the 81st voter in my ward. It was 3 p.m. and with six hours left to go before the polls closed and the nine to five workforce still waiting to cast their ballot after the commute home, I could feel voter turnout hitting a local high note.
The unofficial breakdown provided by the Jasper County Auditor’s Office on Election Night shows a 64.57 percent voter turnout between absentee ballots and people at the polls. This translates into 15,111 votes cast out of the 23,404 registered voters in the county — 10 percentage points higher than the state as a whole.
Data from the nonprofit United States Election Project — organized by the University of Florida’s political science department — show’s Iowa’s turnout at 50.6 percent in the 2014 midterms. Although Iowa’s voter turnout fell .10 percent from the 2010 midterm contests, the Hawkeye state’s turnout was one of the highest in the nation. This can most likely be attributed to the high-profile U.S. Senate race to replace retiring Democratic Senator Tom Harkin between Republican Joni Ernst and Democrat Bruce Braley.
As the country shifted state houses politically toward the right Nov. 4, Jasper County stayed with its roots and bucked the “wave election,” keeping the Democrats mostly in the winner’s column. Two of the three Democrats running for statewide office in the county were elected.
Popular incumbent Republicans such as State Rep. Greg Heartsill and long-time county supervisor Denny Carpenter were also given a bode of confidence on Election Day. Together, it could be argued these facts show the independent minds of Jasper County — voting more for the leader than their political ideologies.
County residents should be proud of the attention paid to the local races this year. State-level, county and municipal elections can, and often do, have a greater affect on the daily life of a voter than a national race which deals in broader issues. Neglecting to move down the ballot can rob a voter of their voice in how their school district, city and state roads and local government facilities are funded and operate.
In the open State Senate District 15 race, approximately 12,472 votes were cast by the Jasper County electorate. In an ideal world this stat would be higher, but it is a number which should bring a smile to local voters.
But the job of avid voters will not be complete until every eligible resident is willing and able to cast their ballot. As a community, we need to continue to break down the inequities of the system, let people know they have the right to vote. It doesn’t cost a dime, and volunteers and administrative officials will make any accommodations necessary to ensure any registered voter can get to the polls.
Voter education is an ongoing process, but in Jasper County and Iowa, we’re getting it right.