DES MOINES – Iowans turned out in record numbers for the November 2018 general election. More than 1,320,000 votes have been tallied as of Wednesday morning. That is the highest mark for a mid-term election in state history. The previous record was set in 2014, with 1,142,311 votes.

Almost 61 percent of Iowa's registered voters participated in the November 2018 election. That is the highest point for a mid-term election since 1994, when turnout topped 62 percent.

As of November 1, there were 2,013,141 active registered voters in Iowa. That is the highest registration total leading into a general election in state history.

"I am very proud that so many Iowans across the state came out and made their voices heard in record numbers. They have once again proven that we are a leader in voter registration and participation," Secretary Pate said.

The process to conduct the first statewide post-election audits in Iowa history began Wednesday morning. The Iowa Secretary of State's Office randomly selected precincts in all 99 counties to conduct a post-election audit. County auditors and staff will hand-count ballots in those precincts to ensure the vote totals are accurate. The post-election audits will be completed next week.

"Post-election audits add another layer of integrity to the election process," Secretary Pate said. "We want every Iowan to know that your vote counts, and it will be counted correctly."

General election results are available on the Iowa Secretary of State's website, sos.iowa.gov. All results are unofficial until the certification process is complete.

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