Iowa Election Turnout Shatters Record After Democrats Trashed GOP Voter Integrity Bill

The Polk County, Iowa, election this year saw a much higher voter turnout than in 2019 — results which are contrary to “voter suppression” cries from Iowa Democrats after Republicans passed election integrity legislation earlier this year.

According to Polk County Auditor, Democrat Jamie Fitzgerald, this year’s turnout was “much higher” than in 2019. Voters cast more than 32,000 ballots by 3:00 p.m on Tuesday, which took until after 5:00 p.m. to hit that mark in 2019, Fitzgerald said.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate early Wednesday said the increase in voter turnout expanded across more than a dozen counties.

“400,000+ voters so far, while still awaiting 13 counties. We have shattered turnout from the 2019 city-school election. Well done Iowans. #BeAVoter #IVoted.”

The

Des Moines Register reported:

This year’s elections are also the first time Iowans across the state are voting since Republicans in the Iowa Legislature passed sweeping changes to the state’s election laws this spring, including requiring absentee ballots to be in by the time polls close in order to count.

Fitzgerald neutralized Democrats’ past claims that GOP voter integrity legislation would lead to “voter suppression,” tweeting Monday that Polk County saw more than 800 additional voters cast ballots early than in 2019, “even though voters had fewer days to vote in person due to Iowa’s election law changes,” according to the report.

Iowa Democrats launched attacks against the legislation in 2020, before it was ultimately passed in March 2021, and framed provisions, like requiring voter identification, as negative.

“Iowa Republicans’ bill would: 1. Increase voter ID requirements 2. Prohibit election officials from sending official documents allowing citizens to vote by mail 3. Start to purge any voter who misses one general election. This is voter suppression,” Iowa Democrats falsely claimed.

Iowa Republicans have been celebrating their victory — and slamming Democrats for spreading lies — following the news of successful elections under the state’s voter legislation. They said in a statement:

Earlier this year, Iowa Republicans passed election integrity legislation that improved the state’s election systems. Instantly, Iowa Democrats and their allies began their misinformation campaign – that Iowa elections would now be more difficult to vote in and votes would be suppressed. Once again, their political spin and fear mongering never came to fruition. In reality, Iowans were more confident in our elections and went to the polls in large numbers to elect local leaders that will defend their freedoms, shattering 2019 statewide turnout.

Iowa Republicans further called Democrats “desperate” and said they are “willing to spread disinformation” to scare Iowans into voting for them. “Thankfully, it’s not working,” they said. Republican Party of Iowa Communications Director Kollin Crompton said:

The right to vote is sacred and deserves to be protected and promoted, which is why Republicans passed legislation to strengthen our election system in Iowa. Why are Iowa Democrats allowed to continually make false, misleading, and dangerous statements without any accountability?

Republicans in states across the country have sponsored and passed similar legislation following accusations of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Increased voter turnout in Iowa following the rule change could be a positive sign for other red states moving forward and could massively vindicate the GOP after rampant accusations of racism from Democrats.