Early voting heavy in Lee County

EARLY VOTING

"In 2022 we averaged about 64 votes per day. We’re at 164 per day, and that’s an average.””

Sherri Yasenchok, Lee County Auditor

LEE COUNTY – With less than five days remaining before the general election, Lee County officials are seeing high numbers of absentee and early voting numbers.
In 2021 Governor Kim Reynolds signed a law further reducing the early voting window to 20 days from 29. That number was changed to 29 from 40 in 2017.
Lee County Auditor Sherri Yasenchok said early voting turnout is high this year because of the number of contested elections on the ballot in the county.
This year there is a contested Governor’s race with Democrat Rob Sand battling Republican Zach Lahn. The 1st Congressional District race between Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Christina Bohannan was a tight race two years ago and is shaping up to be another close race. Locally, Republican Matt Rinker (Burlington) seems to be in a tight race with Burlington attorney Jennifer Kirkman, a Democrat on her first ballot for District 99, which could, in theory, be the district of the proposed Mesabi Metallics steel mill in the northeast portion of Lee County.
Then the highly publicized District 100 race between former Fort Madison Mayor Matt Mohrfeld on the Democratic ticket, and current State Rep. Blaine Watkins, a Republican farmer from Donnellson.
Lee County Supervisors have one contested race between Tom Schulz (R-Fort Madison) and Chris Greenwald (D-Fort Madison) for the District 2 seat on the Board of Supervisors. Current District 2 Supervisor Tim Wondra, who was defeated by Schulz in the primary has launched a write-in campaign. That seat is being vacated by Chuck Holmes who is not seeking re-election.
Other races on the ballot include:
•Secretary of State - Paul Pate (R) vs. Ryan Peterman (D)
•State Auditor - Chris Cournoyer (R) vs. Taylor Wettach (D)
•State Treasurer - Roby Smith (R) vs. John Norwood (D)
•Sec. of Agriculture - Mike Naig (R) vs Chris Jones (D)
•Attorney General - Brenna Bird (R) vs. Nate Willems (D)
Uncontested ballots are Ross Braden - Lee County Attorney; Nancy Booten - Lee County Recorder; Becky Gaylord - Lee County Treasurer; and Stanley Sanders and Ralph Krogmeier - Soil and Water Conservation Commissioners (select 2).
The ballot will also include a vote on a Constitutional Amendment to require a super majority vote of both chambers to increase income or corporate tax rates. Lawmakers passed the amendments in 2024 and 2026, which is a requirement to get the measure on a ballot in the state.
Yasenchok said it’s not easy to do comparable numbers for early voting and absentee because the last general didn’t have nearly as many contested races.
“Those numbers are going to be low compared to what we’re doing right now,” she said.
"In 2022 we averaged about 64 votes per day. We’re at 164 per day, and that’s an average.”
Voting can be done early through Monday at the Lee County offices in Fort Madison through Monday, with Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Satellite voting at the South Lee County Courthouse in Keokuk ends today. Yasenchok said that office isn’t seeing the volume of Fort Madison early voting, at about 60 voters per day.
The county also sent out just over 1,600 absentee ballot requests through Oct. 19. With in-person voting and returned absentees, the county has already seen more than 4,000 ballots cast through Wednesday.
Absentee voting was higher four years ago due to the pandemic and voters still being nervous about public places.
Yasenchok said early voting has gone well in the county with few issues on site.
“We’re smooth. Everyone is coming in prepared,” she said.
Voting is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and locations in Lee County are as follows including wards:
Fort Madison Ward 1
Fort Madison City Hall
811 Avenue E,  Fort Madison

Fort Madison Ward 2
Fort Madison McAleer Hall
415 11th Street, Fort Madison

Fort Madison Ward 3
Fort Madison Public Library
1920 Ave E, Fort Madison

Fort Madison Wards 4A & 4B
Roling Hall
2210 Avenue I, Fort Madison

Fort Madison Ward 5 and Madison Township
Fort Madison Christian Church
1029 48th Street, Fort Madison

Denmark, Green Bay, Pleasant Ridge, Washington Townships
Wever Fire Station
1692 354th Ave, Wever

West Point Township and City of West Point (New Location for 2026)
Holganix
1753 West Point Rd, West Point

Franklin and Marion Townships & Cities of Donnellson, Franklin & St. Paul
Pilot Grove Savings Bank Community Room
506 N. Main Street, Donnellson

Cedar, Charleston, Harrison, Van Buren Townships & City of Houghton
Central Lee School District
Administrative Building
2642 Hwy 218, Donnellson

Jefferson Township & addresses west of 243rd Ave up to Highway 218 & everything West of Highway 61 laying North of Highway 218 in Montrose Township
Lee County Conservation Center
2652 Hwy 61, Montrose

Addresses that lay East of Highway 61 & East of 243rd Ave in Montrose Township & City of Montrose
Ivor Fowler Center
710 Main Street, Montrose

Des Moines & Jackson Townships
Hidden Tower Event Center
2416 340th St, Keokuk

Keokuk Ward 1
South Lee Co. Courthouse
25 N 7th Street, Keokuk

Keokuk Ward 2A & 2B
Heritage Center
508 Main Street, Keokuk

Keokuk Ward 3
Keokuk Public Library
210 N 5th Street, Keokuk

Keokuk Ward 4
Evangelical Free Church
2315 S 7th Street, Keokuk

Keokuk Ward 5-(New Location 2026)
Keokuk Community School District
Business Office
420 N. 17th Street, Keokuk

Keokuk Ward 6
First Christian Church
3476 Main Street, Keokuk

Keokuk Ward 7
Keokuk Nazarene Church
3116 Plank Road, Keokuk