Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Both presidential campaigns are trying to score partisan advantage by using an unusual Iowa law that gives their supporters a major say in determining where ballots can be cast before the election.

Iowa's law allows anyone who gets the signatures of 100 county voters to choose a specific voting place in that county.

Before early voting begins Thursday, volunteers for both campaigns turned in a batch of petitions last week calling for voting at locations most convenient to their voters.

For instance, President Barack Obama's campaign and Democrats are petitioning for sites on college campuses, in Latino neighborhoods and in African-American pockets of larger cities.

Republicans are seeking sites at evangelical churches on the outskirts of Des Moines and in conservative areas such as Sioux County.