COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (WOWT) – The presidential election is just days away.

However, the lines of early voters on the subway are not getting any shorter.

Lines of early voters stretch along the second floor of the Pottawattamie County Courthouse. It’s been like this for a few days now.

“Sort of, yes, and the line may get shorter, but it’s been consistent all day since Oct. 16, when we started,” Houser said. “Here we receive more than 600 a day.”

Melvyn Houser is the Pottawattamie County Elections Commissioner. He says it’s hard to compare this early voter turnout to the last presidential election.

“Well, it’s hard to compare it to 2020 because absentee voting was promoted a lot because of the COVID pandemic,” Houser said. “There is more activity, especially in presidential elections, and absentee voting is becoming more and more popular.”

Houser says it’s the top of the ballot that is driving people to vote in Pottawattamie County. He told 6 News there will be poll watchers on Election Day, but so far he hasn’t heard anything from the Democratic Party.

“The Republican Party has a group of election observers who are going to go out and observe, I don’t know what they are going to do besides observe, but usually everything goes pretty well and there shouldn’t be any problems.” Houser said.

Houser says officials in Nebraska won’t have to watch out for political clothing or hats at the polls in Iowa.

“In Iowa you can wear your campaign t-shirt or hat whenever you wear it, you can’t stand in lines and show it off and say vote for this guy, candidate, or vote for this candidate,” Houser said. saying.

Houser doesn’t believe long voter lines mean lower turnout on Election Day.

“They may go to the polls on Tuesday and still have to wait a half hour or 45 minutes, depending on how busy they are,” Houser said.

Houser says there are about 65,000 registered voters in Pottawattamie County. He doesn’t make predictions, but expects to see a 60-70% turnout.

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