Cedar Falls Election Results 2012: Incumbents Win in Cedar Falls Races; Democrats Celebrate Obama Victory

Want to know the results of the presidential and Congressional races? Read those here.

Scroll below the table for news from earlier Tuesday, including long lines at some Cedar Falls polls and background information on the local races.

1:58 a.m.

With 98 percent of Black Hawk County precincts counted and reported by the Iowa Secretary of State's website, legislative incumbents Rep. Bob Kressig (D) and Rep. Walt Rogers (R) were ahead in the race for the Iowa statehouse early Wednesday morning.

With 12/12 precincts reporting fully, Kressig had 56.79 percent of the vote for House district 59, over Republican James Kenyon's 43.10 percent. With 12 precincts fully reporting, Rogers had 52.01 percent of the vote for House district 60 over Democrat Bob Greenwood's 47.92 percent.

The race between Sen. Jeff Danielson (D) and challenger Matt Reisetter (R) for Senate district 30 was much closer.

With 24/24 precincts fully reporting, Danielson was ahead by just 616 votes.

He said he wasn't ready to declare victory.

"We are going to wait until (Black Hawk County Auditor) Grant Veeder and his staff have an opportunity to count 100 percent of the ballots," he said, pointing out that many provisional and absentee ballots may yet be uncounted.

Reisetter did not immediately return a call asking for comment.

11:24 p.m.

Democrats Bruce Braley, Sheriff Tony Thompson and all three Democratic candidates for supervisor are projected to win in Black Hawk County.

Bruce Braley gave a victory speech in front of several hundred jubilant Democrats at the United Auto Workers hall in Waterloo.

"This election proves once and all that the people of Iowa are desperate for mature leaders who are going to put aside partisan bickering and come together to solve the tough problems we face as a country," he said. "Those problems will only be solved by people who are willing to reach out and develop strong relationships with people who may not share their party, but share their love of country and the desire to move this country forward."

LIVE 2012 ELECTION RESULTS *98.52 percent precincts reporting (unofficial results).

Iowa Senate District 30 

Jeff Danielson *

Iowa House District 59
 

Anesa Kajtazovich *

* Incumbent

8 p.m.

Zatha Hughbanks, 56, of rural Cedar Falls, was angry as she stood in line to vote at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Tuesday night.

"In all my years of voting, I've never been through this," she said.

Besides first going to the wrong precinct - redistricting meant the polling place she's used for years was no longer her voting location - she was tired of waiting.

She was at the back of the "fast line" - the one for those who were already registered - and said she had been there for over an hour and a half. Voters leaving the polling place said it took over two hours for them to vote in the after-work rush.

Beth Courtney, 20, voted for the first time in the college student-heavy district. She and friends Raquel Gonzales, 26, and Nicole Sandven, 21, said they saw a lot of people leaving in frustration.

While they were waiting, the line to vote was split in two - one, the "fast line" for registered voters, the other for those who needed to be registered. She said a friend was at the front of the registered voter line when the split happened and was told to go to the other line. Instead, she went home without voting.

"It's really disorganized in there," Gonzales said.

Hughbanks wasn't going anywhere.

"It's been instilled in my since I was a child that voting is my right, and I'm gong to do it," she said.

Outside, Christopher Schwartz stood in the cold drizzle, offering coffee to voters.

"I wanted to make sure they weren't discouraged," he said.

Meanwhile, at City Hall, the line was long but moving quickly.

Jeff Mickey said he arrived to vote at 5 p.m., heard the wait was two hours, and decided to come back. He arrived just after 7 p.m. as voters leaving said they'd waited for an hour and half to vote, but this time he was prepared.

"I thought I'd bring food," he said, hefting a bag of McDonalds. "And I've got my computer, so I can get some work done."

Polls close at 9 p.m., but anyone in line when the polls close will be allowed to vote.

5:24 p.m.

Afternoon and evening voting picked up at some Cedar Falls precincts this afternoon. KWWL reported a minimum 90 minute wait at Bethlehem Lutheran Church this evening, and said on Twitter that some people were leaving without voting.

As of 2 p.m., the Black Hawk County Auditor's office reported 19,000 people, 21.36 percent of registered voters, had voted.

In other news? The end of political ads. Tonight's KWWL news broadcast is gloriously attack-ad free.

1:27 p.m.:

Voter turnout was low this morning, but that doesn't mean less people are casting ballots than four years ago.

As of 10 a.m., 9,643 ballots had been cast in Black Hawk County, 2,208 less votes than in 2008. But 28,867 absentee ballots had been turned in through Monday. That total will grow, as people waited in long lines at the Black Hawk County Courthouse Monday to vote early.

The Des Moines Register reported almost half of likely voters in Iowa may have voted before Election Day, if vote totals stay true to 2008 and 2004 levels.

Did you vote early? Or did you wait until today? Tell us why in the comments.

8:56 am:

The line was short and moving quickly at Cedar Heights Presbyterian Church in Cedar Falls at around 7:45 a.m. this morning, less than an hour after the polls opened.

Voters waiting in line discussed the importance of the day with each other and said they were proud to participate in the process.

"It's amazing that people ever complain about waiting in line to vote," Jenny Miller said, waving at a neighbor. "You hear about people in other countries who wait for hours and hours to vote. We're really lucky, and I think people take it for granted."

5:58 a.m.:

As Cedar Falls heads to the polls today, there is a lot at stake. Voters will help determine the balance of power in the Iowa House and Senate.

Republicans currently control the Iowa House, holding 60 seats while Democrats have 40 seats. Democrats in the Iowa Senate hold a narrow edge of 26-24 over Republicans. With three Senate seats and six House seats up for grabs in Black Hawk County, local voters have a lot of power.

In Cedar Falls, incumbent Democrat Sen. Jeff Danielson faces Republican challenger Matt Reisetter for Senate District 30. In the House, incumbent Republican Rep. Walt Rogers faces Democrat Bob Greenwood for House District 60. Incumbent Democrat Rep. Bob Kressig faces Republican James Kenyon.

Black Hawk County's two other Iowa Senate and four other Iowa House seats on the ballot are listed below.

The Black Hawk County supervisors races are also on the ballot. There are six candidates, and voters will chose three. Voters will also decide whether Sheriff Tony Thompson, a Democrat, keeps his job or is replaced with Republican William Herkelman.

Many of the races could go either way, and some feature mash-ups of old races, paired against new opponents. Four years ago, Danielson beat Rogers by just 22 votes, the same year Kressig beat Reisetter in a close race.

In 2008, the county went Democrat, with 38,184 voters choosing Barack Obama, and 24,662 voting for John McCain.

Rep. Bruce Braley, up for re-election this year, also handily won the county four years ago, with over twice as many votes as his challenger.

That doesn't mean Democrats are safe. As of Monday, Nov. 5, there were 90,705 voters registered in Black Hawk County, according to the county auditor's office. Of those, 32,318 were Democrats and 22,521 were Republicans - but 35,710 were 'no party' - the wildcards that could vote either way.

See Also: 

Voter Guide 2012

Election Results 2012: Voting Begins in Iowa

Survey: Iowa's Influential Republicans Leery of Romney's Ground Game

Election 2012: Vilsack Knocking Hard on Door of Iowa's 'No Girls Allowed' Club: Will Iowans Answer?