Presidental Candidates, John McCain & Barack Obama

From the township trustees to the President of the United States, voters in Iowa can start making their choices.

Beginning Thursday, voters can pick up absentee ballots at county auditor offices around the state. Election officials are predicting a voter turnout that could reach 80 percent.

"I believe it's going to be a record turnout in Iowa this year," said Secretary of State Michael Mauro, the state's top elected official. "Tomorrow the bell rings."

Mauro met with county election officials Wednesday to discuss challenges they will face this fall.

Clay County Candidates - D R Del Brockshus, Tim Kehoe, H Schar, Joe Skow & Jim Umscheid Jr.

The Nov. 4 election will be the first general election under the state's new election-day voter registration law that allows voters to register at the polls. Also this year, record flooding in the state has displaced thousands of people and many are still not back in their homes.

"I expect there's going to be a lot of questions from displaced voters," said Linn County Auditor Joel Miller. "People are upset and they're distracted."

Both political parties and all of the campaigns have focused on early voting and it has played an important role in recent elections. Last time around, 460,000 early votes were cast out of a total of 1.5 million who voted in a presidential election where President Bush won the state's seven electoral votes by barely 12,000 votes. Mauro said 104,077 absentee ballots have already been requested for this year, down slightly from the same time in 2004.

Audrey Coffman, who helps oversee elections at the Clay County Auditors Office, anticipates high interest in absentee voting.

"We need to have a written request and it has to have certain information -- their birth date, their home, registered address, and, if it is different, where they want the ballot mailed to."

The absentee ballot request also must specify which election ballot the voter wants. "General Election, 2008," or "Nov. 4, 2008," election are phrases that help the auditors send out the correct ballot.

Voters who would rather avoid the mailing process can cast their ballots with a request at the auditor's counter in the Clay County Administration Building. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The auditor's office also will have special hours on the last two Saturdays prior to the General Election. Hours on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"I think it is beginning to be more popular," Coffman said. "It's a convenience vote for people."

Four years ago, independent groups like MoveOn.org made absentee ballots a central part of their political strategy, Mauro said.

"I don't think there's been a push like there was four years ago," he said.

Despite that, Mauro said voter interest is high and he predicted that turnout could reach 80 percent, making Iowa voter turnout one of the highest in the nation. About 72 percent of registered voters cast ballots in 2004.

Mauro said that as of Wednesday there were 722,674 registered Democrats in the state, compared to 620,322 registered Republicans. Another 763,566 registered without declaring a party preference, a stark change from four years ago.

On Election Day 2004, there were 642,636 registered Republicans and 639,267 registered Democrats. Another 824,675 registered without declaring a party preference.

Presidential campaigns traditionally try to get supporters to cast their votes early because it reduced the turnout effort on Election Day.

Democratic nominee Barack Obama's campaign announced plans to set up a series of 21 phone banks around the state urging backers to "vote early for change."

The same-day voter registration law is likely to have only limited affect on the election. Mauro noted that 92 percent of the residents of the state who are eligible to register already have registered.

Nov. 4 also marks the first time the state will have the same voting system in all 99 counties. Voters will cast paper ballots that are optically scanned, offering a paper trail in case a recount is needed.

Associated Press coverage was provided by Mike Glover. Staff writer Russ Mitchell added local content.

On the Ballot:

* notes incumbent

Federal and state candidates:

* US President/Vice (Vote for One Set)

John McCain/Sarah Palin (R)

Barack Obama/Joe Biden (D)

Chuck Baldwin/Darrell L. Castle (Constitution Party)

Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente (Green Party)

Bob Barr/Wayne A. Root (Libertarian)

Goria La Riva/Robert Moses (PSL)

Ralph Nader/Matt Gonzalez (Peace and Freedom)

Brian Moore/Stewart A. Alexander

(Socialist Party USA)

James Harris/Alyson Kennedy

(Socialist Workers Party)

* US Senator -- (Vote for One)

Christopher Reed (R)

Tom Harkin* (D)

* US Representative -- District 5 - (Vote for One)

Steve King *(R)

Rob Hubler (D)

Victor Vara (Independent)

* Iowa State Representative -- District 5

(Vote for One)

Royd E. Chambers* (R)

* Iowa State Representative -- District 6 (Vote for One)

Mike May*(R)

Clay County candidates:

D R Del Brockshus* (R), Spencer

Joe Skow (R), Spencer

Tim Kehoe (D), Spencer

H Schar (D), Spencer

Jim Umscheid Jr. (Nom by Petition), Spencer

Marjorie A. Pitts* (R), Spencer

* Sheriff -- (Vote for One)

Randy W. Krukow* (R), Spencer

Township candidates/other offices:

Kenneth W. Emmert*, Royal

Charles Huberg*, Royal

* Douglas Township Trustee -- (Vote for Two)

James G. Larson*, Sioux Rapids

John G. Olson*, Sioux Rapids

Ervin Harves*, Dickens

(Only one candidate filed)

* Garfield Township Trustee (Vote for Two)

Bennett L Greene*, Webb

Robert N. Rust*, Webb

* Gillett Grove Township Trustee (Vote for Two)

Robert Heronemus*, Spencer

Casey Schomaker*, Greenville

* Herdland Township Trustee (Vote for Two)

(No one filed for the two offices)

* Lake Township Trustee -- (Vote for Two)

Adam Metcalf*, Dickens

John Metcalf*, Dickens

* Lake Township Trustee -- to fill vacancy -

(Vote for One)

Brian Batschelet, Spencer

(Only one candidate filed)

Wyatt W. Brinkley*, Dickens

Sharan K. Erick, Dickens

Curtis C Salton*, Ayrshire

Paul Swanson*, Ayrshire

Dennis King*, Dickens

John W. Goeken*, Everly

John Gross*, Royal

* Meadow Township Trustee -- (Vote for Two)

Leland Chamberlain*, Spencer

Ken Lawrence*, Spencer

* Peterson Township Trustee -- (Vote for Two)

Robert W. White, Peterson

(Only one candidate filed)

* Riverton Township Trustee -- (Vote for Two)

Jerry Beck*, Spencer

Sharon L McKeever*, Spencer

* Riverton Township Clerk -- to fill vacancy (Vote for One)

Michael R. Johnson*, Spencer

* Sioux Township Trustee -- (Vote for Two)

Lindell Petersen*, Spencer

Jim Sonius*, Spencer

Rodney Boernsen*, Everly

Janet Hoyt-Boyens*, Everly

* Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioner (Vote for Three)

Julie Christensen*, Royal

Jerry Crew*, Webb

Allen Mc Carty*, Linn Grove

* Agriculture Extension Council (Vote for 4)

Kathy Anderson*, Fostoria

Darcy Brugman, Peterson

Paula Buenger, Everly

Lois Glover, Spencer

Richard T. Kirksey, Jr.*, Everly

Ryan J. Phillips, Linn Grove

Teresa Steuben, Everly

* Judges -- Supreme Court

Daryl L. Hecht

Brent Appel

Mark S. Cady

* Judges -- Court of Appeals

Rosemary Shaw Sackett

Larry J. Eisenhauer

Terry L. Huitink

* District Court Judge District 3A

John P. Duffy

Patrick M. Carr

Don E. Courtney

* Public Measure for State of Iowa:

Shall the following amendment to the Constitution be adopted?

Summary: Changes the language that describes a person who cannot legally vote from "idiot or insane person" to "a person adjudged mentally incompetent to vote."