DAVENPORT, Iowa — Early voting for midterms has begun in Scott County, and many people are taking advantage to go to the polls and cast their votes before Election Day.
The county is expecting a 50% voter turnout for the midterm election; half of which is expected to be done in early or absentee voting. That figure is expected to reach around 33,000 votes cast before November 8th.
“It's important to vote because it's certainly our right for living in our country,” Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins said. “It’s important to get your vote out because it counts. That one vote can make a difference.”
For many Scott County residents; they’ll be making their voices heard throughout the next few weeks. Frank Joshua said he wants to create a good example for the kids around him.
“I have grandkids, great-grandkids, and my kids,” Joshua said.” I wanted them to know the importance of voting because, they are a different age than I am and a lot of the things that I went through in my young age, they have not experienced.”
The county mailed out over 8,000 absentee ballots to those who requested them. The ballots can be dropped off at any local dropbox or at polling places.
Tompkins, who was appointed last year as the county’s auditor, said that having a variety of ways to vote is great.
“Having those options is important because you have some people who don’t want to go out and be in public,” Tompkins said. “We can mail the ballots to you, and you can mail them back and if you aren’t confident with that, you can drop it off at any drop box.”
Voters are encouraged to get their votes in early or vote on November 8th.
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