Northwest Des Moines Democrats

10/09/2026

Early vote graphics for social media. Please save and share!

10/08/2026

We need to get to these areas and help! PolkDems.com/volunteer

In addition to the hotly contested statewide and federal races, Polk County has SEVEN legislative pickup opportunities, and we intend to win every single one.

GOTV is ramping up, and the final push is almost here. We need all hands on deck, especially in the districts where our efforts can make the greatest impact.

Sign up for our Volunteer Alerts at polkdems.com/volunteer, find out where you're needed most, and show up. Every door knocked, every voter contacted, and every hour volunteered matters.

The Polk County Democrats are dedicated to one thing: WINNING ELECTIONS. Every race, every district, every opportunity.

Our goal is a completely BLUE Polk County on November 3rd, and we're going to do everything we can to make it happen.

Let's go. PolkDems.com/volunteer

Jill4Iowa
Molly Buck For Ankeny
Kendra for Iowa
Heather Matson
Mandy for Iowa
Heather Sievers for Iowa
Tony Thompson for Iowa

10/07/2026

Polk County voters: Save these dates! 👇

October 14
Absentee ballots begin mailing, and in-person early voting begins at the Polk County Election Office (2309 Euclid Ave) thru Nov 2.

October 19 at 5 PM
Deadline for the Polk County Election Office to receive absentee ballot request deadline at 5 PM.

October 19 - 24
Satellite Voting at various locations (visit VotePolk.com for all dates/times)

November 3: Election Day.

One place for the deadlines, resources, and information you need: VotePolk.com

Save it. Share it. 🤝 VotePolk.com

09/25/2026

Satellite Voting Sites are officially here!!

Early voting begins October 14, and Polk County voters will have locations across the county to cast their ballot early, including 16 satellite voting sites beginning October 19.

And remember: if you are a Polk County resident, you can vote at ANY of these locations. You do not have to live near a particular site or vote in your usual precinct.

So, pick a spot, any spot! Find the location and day that works best for you, make your plan, and vote early.

Everything you need to know about early voting, absentee voting, Election Day and more is available at VotePolk.com.

09/23/2026

We had so much fun at Lucky Horse in August - we’re doing it again!

Join us at the Greenwood Lounge on October 11th for an afternoon with the Des Moines West Side Democrats for live music and a celebration.

09/22/2026

Lots of good information in this post about why voting early matters and the different ways you can cast your ballot early!

"Vote Early!!"
From this week’s Polk County Democrats newsletter, authored by our Chair, Bill Brauch.

Please read and share widely.

"Early voting in Iowa starts on October 14 – think of it as the first day of the election! Our strong advice to voters is simple and direct: Vote early!! Iowa makes it easy to vote early. You can:

- Vote in person at the County Auditor’s Election Office, open M-F from 8:00 AM–4:30 PM; Saturday, Oct. 24th, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM; and Saturday, Oct. 31st, hours TBD. The office is located at 2309 Euclid Avenue in Des Moines.
- Vote in person at satellite early voting locations—to be announced this week. Go to VotePolk.com for locations and dates.
- Apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed to your home. The best way to cast your absentee ballot will be to drop it in person at the Auditor’s ballot slot—located on the outside of the building at 2309 Euclid Avenue. It’s open every day of the week, 24 hours a day. But, if you prefer to mail it in, please make sure to mail it on or before October 24th, ten days before the November 3rd election day. You can print your absentee ballot application form at home. As an alternative, please email us at [email protected] if you do not have access to a printer, and we can help.

There are several reasons to vote early:

- It helps our candidates—through voting records they will see you voted early and will remove your name from calling lists and will not knock on your door during get-out-the-vote efforts. By voting early you will save them precious time and money, and your phone will stop ringing!
- You’ll avoid the long lines on election day. Possibly having to stand outside in the cold and rain or snow is nothing to look forward to. Also, you won’t have to worry that your kids’ daycare center will close or that you’ll be late for work before you get to the front of the line!
- You won’t have to worry about missing out on voting if you become ill on or before election day and, therefore, won’t be able to vote.
- It frees you up to volunteer to poll watch or drive voters to the polls on election day.
- It is a safe and easy way to vote, and you will have peace of mind knowing that your vote is in and will count!

Now that the Supreme Court has punched Trump in the kisser by ruling the president can’t use the Postal Service to determine who gets to vote by absentee ballot, our right to vote by mail is maintained. But, as noted above, that’s not the only way to vote early.

Regardless of the method you choose; in person, at the drop box, or by mail, Make Your Plan to Vote Early!"

VotePolk.com

09/21/2026

Please share.

In 2015, Zach Lahn was the Montana state director of Americans for Prosperity. AFP was fighting Medicaid expansion and wanted Republican legislators to sign a pledge opposing it.

Several Republicans were unwilling to “sign the card” or promise their vote before they had even seen the legislation. AFP responded by targeting their districts with postcards, phone calls and “Healthcare Town Hall” events designed to manipulate the public and build opposition to Medicaid expansion.

Republican Sen. Jeff Welborn was one of those Montana lawmakers (pictured below). AFP advertised a “town hall” in his district using his image, but Welborn said he hadn't been invited. He found out about it, showed up anyway, and confronted Lahn.

Welborn: “You’re as full of s**t as a Christmas goose, pal.”
Lahn: "Well you didn't sign the card."

Things got interesting when people in the room demanded to hear from their own elected representative.

“This isn’t a public forum, ladies and gentlemen,” an organizer responded.

An attendee pushed back, questioning how an event advertised as a town hall wasn't a place for discussion and critical thinking.

Lahn's response? “Different definitions of town hall.”

That confrontation was captured in the PBS documentary Dark Money, which examines the influence of outside political organizations on elections and public policy.

And it’s a story that should sound painfully familiar to anyone paying attention to the influence of outside political organizations in our own Iowa Legislature.

Also worth noting that familiar “WE” language Lahn uses in Montana while running Americans for Prosperity’s operation there, just as he uses it now in Iowa, even as he maintains a home in Kansas. Three different states. Same “WE.” Interesting!

We’ve put a longer clip in the comments so you can watch the exchange, see the context and draw your own conclusions.

Please share widely.

09/18/2026

See you tomorrow at Beaverdale Fall Fest! We'll be tabling in front of Ace Hardware after the parade.

Bring us all your voting questions. We'll have yard signs - first come first serve til they're gone! Plus voter registration and vote by mail forms. Take them home, or we can mail them on your behalf.

We love celebrating Beaverdale with y'all!

09/04/2026

This has to be one of the worst vetting jobs of all time. The guy is under criminal investigation by a county sheriff. Not exactly a good look. 🫣