More than 2,000 early voters cast ballots at the Scott County Library in Eldridge, and Linda Olson recognized many.
The 20-year Scott County Election worker said a lot of those voters recognized her, too.
“Fae Harvey trained me,” she said, referring to her Eldridge friend who has retired from countless elections.
Voters throughout Scott County may cast ballots at the Eldridge library 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through Friday, Nov. 1.
Early voting is also available at the Bettendorf library, the Davenport main and Fairmount branch, and the Scott County Administration Center in downtown Davenport.
When early voting resumed Monday, 25,855 had cast ballots, including 2,209 in Eldridge, 14,487 at other early-voting sites, and 9,159 by mail, county auditor Kerri Tompkins said Monday.
In Eldridge, last week’s early voters had no wait. One of seven election workers was ready to welcome, verify registration, or do same-day registration, then hand voters their ballots.
Mike Alberts, of Eldridge, zipped in and out in under four minutes.
Janice Payne, a retired Alcoa union representative who has been working elections since 2009, said election work keeps her connected to her community.
Dan Brandon, an election worker since 2020, said this year’s early voting is a breeze.
“2020 was as a hot mess,” he recalled. “Contentious election. The middle of COVID. Everyone was on guard.”
Marianne Blanche likes to work in her home precinct. This was her second week on the job. “You see everyone you know,” she said.
Debi Ervin, Eldridge, signed up to work four early-voting days, and was called in for a fifth. She’ll be on duty Election Day, too.
Olson said campaign anxiety seems to fade when voters arrive, and exercise their voting rights alongside friends and neighbors.
And she loves the technology, which scans the ballot before it is deposited in a locked, steel bin.
“You used to have to crawl under the machine to pull out the ballots that were piled up all which ways,” she said.