Update: 40,000 People Have Voted in Linn County Casino Election

Update at 3:48 p.m.

Voting stayed up from a special election a year ago, according to poll turnout numbers through 3 p.m.

More than 40,000 people out of a 152,754 registered voters in Linn County have cast a ballot. That's 26.48 percent turnout, and County Auditor Joel Miller predicts turnout will tip the 40 percent threshold by the end of the day.

"Looks like the weather has not deterred the voters, Miller tweeted.

Voting ends at 8 p.m.

The voting numbers include 19,518 absentee and 20,934 through 3 p.m. In the local option sales tax vote a year ago, 14,040 people had voted.

In Marion, 3,366 people had voted at the polls as of 3 p.m. and another 3,366 people voted absentee.

Update at 1:30 p.m.

The first check in on voter turnout is up, and the second update should be coming soon.

Thus far, there's been 18,788 people who've voted by absentee ballot and 8,748 or 5.5 percent turnout had voted at the polls by 11 a.m. That's 18 percent overall turnout.

Despite treacherous weather, the turnout is up compared to the local option sales tax election at this time a year ago. About 1,000 fewer people had voted by 11 a.m. in that election. A year ago, by 11 a.m. a year ago, the polls saw 6,996 people or about 5.04 percent turnout.

The next update comes at 3 p.m.

In Marion specifically, there's been 3,149 who've voted by absentee ballot and 1,455 at the polls.

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With more than $2 million in play over an election to allow casino gambling in Linn County, leave it to the Iowa weather to throw a wrench in things.

Schools are closed but voting is still open, Linn County Auditor Joel Miller said.

"I've always thought that closing the schools on election day was a good idea, but today's weather was not what I had in mind," he Tweeted earlier today.

Miller said all polling places opened on time, at 7 a.m., and that there's been no issues "other than voters' getting stuck in parking lots."

Miller said 12.24 percent of of Linn County's registered voters already voted before Election Day, which now looks like a pretty wise move.

The auditor's office issued 21,236 absentee ballots and had 18,686 returned to the office, which is an 88 percent return rate, and they set a record with 876 people who voted absentee in person in the office on Tuesday, he said.

Here's more of our election coverage:

Find your polling place

Linn County Casino March 5 Election Day Voter Guide