The Iowa Democratic Party vote early express visited Ames as part of their multi-stop statewide bus tour Wednesday. 

In efforts to encourage Iowans to make a plan to vote early, the Ames express stop included appearances from Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand; Sen. Herman Quirmbach, District 23; Rep. Ross Wilburn, District 46; and Democratic nominee for Iowa Senate Cynthia Paschen, District 24.

Making stops at college campuses, libraries and other satellite voting locations, the team distributes education material regarding the importance of electing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Theresa Greenfield and Democrats up and down the ballot in the 2020 election. 

In light of the pandemic, Gov. Kim Reynolds and her administration misallocated at least $21 million in federal assistance intended for COVID-19 relief, according to a report released by Sand. Reynolds utilized the funds to pay for a new accounting software system.

The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) is intended for aid relating to the pandemic, such as building testing capacity and personal protective equipment. 

“It is just not what this money is for,” Sand said. “Everyone in state government agrees there should have [been] a different system, but that doesn’t mean you can take money that is intended to solve a crisis and use it for that instead.”

Individual positive cases for COVID-19 in Iowa have surpassed 120,000 and have resulted in 1,684 deaths. 

“It is not only a question of compliance with the law but also a question of most proper and best use,” Sand said.

There is only a certain amount of help the state receives from the federal government. Quirmbach said Iowa is grateful for the assistance, but these misallocated dollars could have been spent on people who are suffering from the pandemic.

“Over 100,000 people have died unnecessarily, and in Iowa, that is on Kim Reynolds,” Quirmbach said. “She should have shown leadership in requiring masks in public places; she should be allocating those dollars to meet the needs to mitigate the suffering people are going through now.”

Reynolds has defended her use of the funds. Wilburn said this misuse of aid also reflects the priorities of her priorities.

“Whether you want to get into if it was legal or not, my point is priority, and Democrats prioritize people and opportunity, safety and health care,” Wilburn said. 

Paschen said it is important to bring ballots into county auditors or to visit satellite voting locations for in-person absentee voting.

Democrats also encourage voters to bring ballots to their county auditor’s office or partake in in-person absentee voting as postal services feel the pressure of voting during a pandemic. 

“I think our job is to make voting as easy and painless as possible because not enough young people vote,” Paschen said. “I hope that changes this election.”

Quirmbach said every vote will count in this race as Iowa polling numbers between President Donald Trump and Biden and for the U.S. Senate race looks to be a toss-up. After Trump has shown hesitation to the idea of peaceful transition of power, Sand said he hopes voters take their sense of patriotism to the polls Tuesday.

“I think that is un-American, and it is the kind of thing we have fought for all over the world, and now it is time to stand up and fight with our vote here in Iowa and in the United States,” Sand said. “There are lots of things we can disagree on, but that is just one of those things that is fundamentally American.”