Dems still lead early voting in Iowa with ballots requested and returned (see figures)

[WI_DEM]

Iowa is my bellweather state for early voting. The public polls (by independent Des Moines Register) have shown the republicans up by nearly 20-points in gov and senate races. So it's encouraging to see these early voting numbers:

http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/elections/2010/genabsenteetotals.pdf

Absentee Ballot Totals
as of 10/22/2010
Party
Absentee Ballots Requested
Democrat
143,555 45.1%
Republican
116,162 36.6%
No Party
58,012 18.2%
Other
244
Total
317,973
Party
Absentee Ballots Received
Democrat
92,835 45.9%
Republican
76,993 38.1%
No Party
32,045 15.9%
Other
164
Total
202,037

[Kdillard]

1. I don't want to get my hopes up but good to see in any case.