Voter Turnout Up in Linn County So Far

By Jeff Raasch

Steve Daringer, 56, of Cedar Rapids, votes at Taylor School, 720 Seventh Ave. SW, this morning, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009. In Cedar Rapids, six of the nine City Council seats are up for grabs, including mayor.(Jeff Raasch/The Gazette)

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By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Nov 3, 2009 at 1:43 PM CST

Story Updated: Nov 3, 2009 at 1:43 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS – More decisions equals more voters in Cedar Rapids so far today.

As of 11 a.m., 6,628 people had voted in the city election, according to the Linn County Auditor’s Office. That’s well ahead of the 2,799 people that had voted in the first four hours of the last city election in 2007.

There are six races this year, including one for mayor, compared to three races on the 2007 ballot. The totals do not include absentee ballots.

The 11 a.m. total represented 7.6 percent of the eligible voters. That’s ahead of the 3.37 percent pace in 2007.

The increase in interest was very apparent Oakland Church of the Nazarene, 3000 42nd St. NE, where 375 people made their decisions by 11 a.m. Two years ago, the 11 a.m. tally was 100.

Only one of the 47 precincts in Cedar Rapids, Immanuel Baptist Church, was running behind the 2007 count. But they were only behind by six voters.

It was a different story in Marion, where turnout was 1.74 percent of the eligible voters, or 418 total voters.

Tim Box, deputy commissioner of elections in Linn County, said there are always a few issues with voting machines, but no major problems have been reported.

The polls are open until 8 p.m. today.

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