RECORD NUMBER OF IOWA BALLOTS CAST

THERE MAY BE SOME MORE ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT WILL SHOW UP IN THE MAIL, BUT FOR NOW, OVER A MILLION AND A HALF IOWANS CAST BALLOTS TUESDAY.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE RELEASED FIGURES THAT SHOW AROUND 72 PER CENT OF ELIGIBLER VOTERS WENT TO THE POLLS, A TOTAL OF 1,558,252. THAT'S ABOUT 12-THOUSAND MORE THAN IN 2008.

THAT NUMBER IS A NEW RECORD FOR TOTAL VOTES CAST IN AN ELECTION IN IOWA, BUT THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE WAS IN 1992, WHEN 80 PER CENT VOTED IN THE CLINTON-BUSH SENIOR ELECTION.

BY THE WAY, 43 PER CENT OF THE VOTES CAST IN THIS ELECTION WERE MADE BEFORE ELECTION DAY. 42 PER CENT OF THOSE WERE DEMOCRATIC, 32 PER CENT REPUBLICAN AND 26 PER CENT FROM INDEPENDENTS OR NO-PARTY.