Even Republican stronghold Bettendorf voted for Democrat President-Elect Barack Obama, but just barely – 9,753 (50.3 percent) to 9,631 (49.7 percent).
The narrow loss for the Republican presidential ticket came despite an overwhelming advantage in Bettendorf's two most populous and wealthiest precincts, 4th Ward 1st Precinct (4-1) and 5th Ward 2nd Precinct (5-2).
In those two precincts, which include the newest northern areas of the community, the Republican McCain-Palin ticket was the easy winner by a 60-40 margin. The Republican margin was 1,153 to 801 in 4-1 and 1,784 to 1,211 in 5-2.
Only a better showing by the Democratic ticket in 4-2 (1,080 to 1,053 votes for Obama) and 5-1 (927 to 684 votes for Obama) made the overall ward results less of a Republican majority in the 4th and 5th Wards.
Each of the other three city wards voted for the President-Elect to give the majority to Obama by a slim 122 votes city-wide.
Indicative of the Republican leanings in 4-1 and 5-2 were the number of "straight party" ballots - voters casting their vote for all Republicans candidates on the ballot.
Nearly 70 percent of the ballots in 4-1 were "straight party," while 65 percent of the ballots cast in 5-2 were by straight party vote.
In the other Republican-Democrat face off among Bettendorf voters, Democratic incumbent U.S. Congressman Bruce Braley narrowly defeated Republican David Hartsuch 9,552 (51 percent) to 9,155 (49 percent).
Hartsuch won handily by nearly 600 votes in 5-2 and 300 votes in 4-1. He also carried 3-1 and 4-2 by narrow margins.
In the overall congressional voting results, Braley defeated Hartsuch (a Bettendorf resident now serving as a state senator) 60 percent (49,732 votes) to 40 percent (32,766 votes).
And, in keeping with the trend seen nationally, record numbers of Bettendorf voters cast their ballots early. "Absentee" ballots in eight of the 11 city precincts outnumbered votes cast on election day.
08_electiondetails.pdf
FourthWard_1stPrecinct.pdf
FourthWard_2ndPrecinct.pdf
FifthWard_1stPrecinct.pdf
FifthWard_2ndPrecinct.pdf
