2024 election again sees high voter turnout in Iowa

By Rep. Jon Dunwell

House Republicans have through the years enacted many key election integrity laws. Important measures to build upon Iowa’s already safe elections such as voter ID requirements, securing and limiting ballot drop boxes, enforcing routine voter registration maintenance, require signature verification for absentee ballots, and preventing absentee ballot harvesting. During legislative debates Democrats and media outlets have repeatedly claimed that enacting voter security measures were attempts by Republicans to suppress voters’ access to the polls. However, as it stands the 2024 general election turnout in Iowa was nearly 74 percent of registered voters, well above the national percentage and in line with most elections in Iowa. Over 1.65 million Iowans cast ballots including over 680,000 absentee ballots.

Opponents to Republican’s strong election integrity bills have claimed that the new election laws are restrictive, make it hard to vote, and would lead to voter suppression. Continued high voter turnout before and since enacted election integrity laws have shown that Iowans trust the election process and are engaged in the electoral process unhindered. As Iowa continues to see such high levels of civic engagement from voters it is important that House Republicans continue to lead the way in ensuring that every Iowan’s vote is treated fairly and counted accurately.

Iowa is now in the verification process of conducting post-election audits in all 99 counties. State law requires one random precinct in every county to be audited by a hand count of all ballots. At this point in the election certification process counties have canvassed all their precincts to create an abstract of all votes cast in the county. From that point, recounts may be requested by candidates up to three days following the completion of the county canvas. The State Board of Canvassers will convene in December to certify Iowa’s election results.