Election day is still 40 days off, but Iowa’s two political parties think they can get the job done before then.

Iowa Democrats have put a lot of energy behind early voting. Secretary of State John Mauro told supporters voting day is not Nov. 2, but rather begins Sept. 23 — the first day in Iowa people are allowed to vote early.

Democrats have a nearly three to one advantage in requests for absentee ballots so far, according to the Secretary of State office. But this year, reported absentee ballots in Polk, Linn, Scott and Johnson counties are down from 2006 levels.

The IDP responded they are focusing on unlikely voters for early voting this year like they did in 2008, whereas in 2006 they focused on likely voters. This is similar to the route they followed in 2002, and saw an Iowa record 242,357 participate in early voting sending Tom Vilsack into a second term as governor.

The IDP also launched a website this week, IowaVotesEarly.com, devoted to helping people find out how to vote early and request absentee ballots. Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Sue Dvorsky said it’s an attempt to capitalize on technology while continuing traditional practices.

Not to be outdone, the Iowa Republican Party released IowaGOP.org/voteearly.

Former four-term Governor and current Republican nominee, Terry Branstad, even launched a “Branstad-Reynolds” Android app to go along with their newest ad, “An App for That.”

Branstad’s communications director, Tim Albrecht, said a BlackBerry app is on its way next week.

Albrecht promised they would dominate the “get out the vote” effort on election day and in early voting.

“In the primary we launched an aggressive early vote campaign that yielded tens of thousands of votes for Governor Branstad,” Albrecht said.

Republicans like Branstad and Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, are leading their opponents in statewide polling, but Governor Chet Culver dismissed the notion there might be an anti-incumbent or anti-democrat mood.

“If Republicans want to start popping champagne corks, that’s great because it’ll take them away from the real tough work of turning out the vote,” Culver said. “They’ve been overconfident before and they’re overconfident this year.”

Dvorsky pointed out Thursday is not only the first day of voting in Iowa, but also marks the first wave of implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

“We have no doubt we’re going to be able to move [voters], it won’t hurt at all the president will be here next week,” Culver said.

Democrats held an advantage in recent elections over Republicans in terms of early voting, while Republicans put more emphasis on turning out the vote on election day.

“We’re targeting not only Republicans who vote early but disinfected independents who don’t like the direction Iowa is headed under Chet Culver and want Terry Branstad’s proven, effective leadership back in the governor’s office,” Albrecht said.

Iowa GOP chairman Matt Strawn noted this is the first time Iowa Republicans have worked with all 99 counties to develop early voting locations all across Iowa.

“While we are confident this will yield tremendous dividends for our candidates, it is ultimately the Republican message of bringing competent, principled leadership to Iowa that will drive more Iowans to vote Republican than Democrat this Fall,” Strawn said.

A new study released Thursday from the Pew Research Center found Republicans to be more energized and more likely to vote.

Dvorsky remains optimistic though, and said their get out the vote program has been in the works for a year and a half.

“You can’t come in late on a program like this and do it in 40 days,” Dvorsky said.

Absentee ballot requests were up 9 percent in Black Hawk County, containing Waterloo and Cedar Falls, and up 30 percent in Woodbury County, where Sioux City is. IDP executive director Norm Sterzenbach said in an e-mail blast Wednesday this was evidence of support for Democrats in traditionally Republican areas like Sioux City.

In Iowa, Democrats still hold an advantage in registered voters although Republicans made a dent to that lead during the primaries. Independent voters still outnumber both parties in the state.

 

Correction: Tim Albrecht is the communications director/spokesman for the Branstad campaign, not the campaign manager.