In 2008, the Democratic Party utilized early voting to help win the White House and expand their majorities in Congress. The party is planning to push early voting again in 2010. Here's a list of states and the early voting requirements.
Democrats are betting they can use early voting to help avoid a repeat of the throw-the-bums-out elections of 1994, when Republicans captured the House of Representatives for the first time in four decades.
A key difference today "is that in 1994, I think a third of voters had access to early voting; now it's 70%," a senior Obama administration official told reporters last week. The official said Democrats had done well in special House elections this year in part because "we organized very well around early voting, and we did that well in 2008."
This diary will focus on two states with early voting, Iowa and Ohio. Note: Early voting has begun in Georgia, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. Early voting begins this week in Nebraska as well.
Iowa - Absentee and in-person early voting started September 23rd.
The Iowa Democratic Party has decided to focus their early voting/absentee voting GOTV operations on unlikely voters and voters who voted for the first time in 2008.
Absentee Ballot Requests as of 9/24/2010 according to the Iowa Secretary of State (warning .pdf link):
Party Absentee Ballots Requested:
Democrat 40,632
Republican 16,286
No Party 12,409
Other 49
Total 69,376
Reasons to help out with GOTV and/or vote early in Iowa:
Senate Race:
Roxanne Conlin is running against Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. Unlike Grassley, she supports the health care reform bill, repealing DADT, supports the Employee Free Choice Act. Here's her latest ad:
House Races:
1st District (Cook Report PVI D+5): Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Inc.) voted for the stimulus bill, health care reform, financial reform, repeal of DADT and the House energy bill (ACES) and he did not sign the letter to Pelosi asking her to extend tax cuts for the wealthy.
2nd District (Cook Report PVI D+7): Rep. David Loebsack (D-Inc.) voted for the stimulus bill, health care reform, financial reform, repeal of DADT and the House energy bill (ACES) and he did not sign the letter to Pelosi asking her to extend tax cuts for the wealthy.
3rd District (Cook Report PVI D+1): Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Inc.) voted for the stimulus bill, health care reform, financial reform, repeal of DADT and the House energy bill (ACES) and he did not sign the letter to Pelosi asking her to extend tax cuts for the wealthy.
4th District (Cook Report PVI Even): Democratic candidate Bill Maske He supports the stimulus act, health care reform, caps on carbon emissions, and DREAM Act.
5th District (Cook Report PVI R+9): Democratic candidate Matt Campbell is running against Republican Steve King. Please check out Campbell's issue page. He has a great comparison between him and King on the issues.
Governor's Race:
Governor Chet Culver is running for re-election against ex-Governor Terry Branstad. Culver is way behind in the polls and could use some help. Here's his latest ad:
Information on early voting:
Request an absentee ballot.
Find your early voting location.
Volunteer to help with GOTV:
Iowa State Democratic Party
Organizing for America
Ohio - Absentee and in-person early voting started September 28th.
Reasons to help out with GOTV and/or vote early in Ohio:
Senate Race:
Lt. Governor Lee Fisher is struggling against Republican challenger Rob Portman and could really use your help. Here is Fisher's latest ad:
House Races (link for list of all candidate's websites):
Dem. Candidate | District | Cook PVI | Inc. | Stim. Vote | HCR Vote | Fin. Reform Vote | Repeal DADT Vote | ACES Vote | Signed Tax Cut for Rich Ltr to Pelosi |
Steve Driehaus | 1st | D+1 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
Surya Yalamanchili | 2nd | R+13 | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Joe Roberts | 3rd | R+5 | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Doug Litt | 4th | R+15 | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Caleb Finkenbiner | 5th | R+9 | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Charles A. Wilson | 6th | R+2 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N |
Bill Conner | 7th | R+7 | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Justin Coussole | 8th | R+14 | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Marcy Kaptur | 9th | D+10 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N |
Dennis J. Kucinich | 10th | D+8 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N |
Marcia L. Fudge | 11th | D+32 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
Paula Brooks | 12th | (R) | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Betty Sutton | 13th | D+5 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
Bill O'Neill | 14th | R+3 | N | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Mary Jo Kilroy | 15th | D+1 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
John A. Boccieri | 16th | R+4 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
Tim Ryan | 17th | D+12 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
Zachary T. Space | 18th | R+7 | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Governor's Race:
Governor Ted Strickland is locked in a tight race with John Kasich. Here's his latest ad:
Volunteer to help with GOTV:
Ohio State Democratic Party
Organizing for America