Early voting varies across the state.

Early voting in Iowa has yet to show a steady pattern of increase or decrease compared to this time last cycle. Some counties have seen an increase in absentee ballots while others have not had as many requests as this time in 2004.

Residents of Carroll County more eager than ever to vote, according to the county's auditor, Joan Schettler. She states that since September 25, over 676 absentee ballots have already been requested. This number may seem small, but the entire county has a little over 20,000 residents (and just over 14,000 are elligable to vote) and the election is still five weeks away.
Voters explain their reasons for voting early as a way to avoid bad weather, long lines and it frees up their schedule that day to help GOTV campaigns.

The Polk County Auditor's Office has already had 14,000 requests for absentee ballots but that is 21,000 less than this time in 2004, according to MSNBC in DesMoines.

In 2004, several factors accounted for the 2% margin giving Bush the presidency: Bush running as an incumbent during war-time and John Kerry's fatal mistake of not adequately responding to the Swiftboat ads. The 2004 election was extremely close and the American public was deeply devided between Bush and Kerry and although the American public seems to be just as divided between McCain and Obama, perhaps the patchy early-voting rates in Iowa are a reflection that many people have still not made up their minds and are not ready to vote for either candidate yet.