Some top Republicans are getting involved in the party’s early voting campaign as the GOP strives to compete with Democrats on absentee ballots.
Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley is sending robocalls o Iowa residents encouraging early voting, and Governor Branstad has already mailed in his own absentee ballot.
“This was an area that we needed to do some work,” Branstad says. “We encouraged the party and we've gotten great help in that effort, but we are also trying to do our part."
Branstad says this is the first time he voted absentee while he was on the ballot. His Democratic opponent Jack Hatch says he will maintain his family’s tradition of voting together on election day. He’ll go to the polls with his wife and his grown daughter who’s flying in from out of state for the final days of the campaign.
The Governor says he will relinquish a traditional election day photo opportunity by voting early. Television stations like to take pictures of candidates at their polling sites, but the governor says that will give him more time to help get out the election day vote.