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SIOUX CITY -- Iowans and Nebraskans on Monday can begin casting early ballots in advance of the Nov. 3 general election.

What's long been called absentee voting and now often is termed early voting is a practice that has become increasingly common, and will be especially prevalent this year, as election officials across the nation make changes to carry out voting amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In Woodbury County, Auditor Pat Gill said he anticipates the majority of votes, perhaps up to 24,000, will be cast by mail in this election.

In Nebraska, back in late August, Secretary of State Bob Evnen announced his office would mail an early ballot application to every registered voter whose county did not already do so. The effect will be every registered voter in Nebraska will receive an early ballot request application in the mail, Evnen said, and those were sent out Sept. 28.

For voters who have concerns about voting at the polls in November, an early ballot request for a mail-in ballot is a good option, Evnen said.

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The Nebraska deadline to request an early ballot to be mailed is Oct. 23, and any such ballot must be received to county clerk offices by Nov. 3.

Additionally, lots of early voting is also expected in South Dakota, where it began on Sept. 18.

Union County Auditor Jackie Sieverding is urging that method, saying in a statement on the county website that about 40 percent of South Dakota voters cast absentee ballots.

In Iowa, Secretary of State Paul Pate, the state's election official, four weeks ago said, "I easily could see 80 percent of the people casting their ballot in the fall election will use absentee."

That would match the absentee vote in the June primary that shattered turnout records. More than 531,000 Iowans voted in the primary, with about 110,000 of them voting in person. Pate said typically about 40 percent of Iowa voters cast absentee ballots.

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As for what is on ballots, the obvious big contest is the important battle for the U.S. presidency. In national polls Donald Trump, the Republican president, is trailing Joe Biden, the Democratic former vice president, a month out from the election.

Beyond the typical county and legislative contests, 2020 is the infrequent even-numbered year in which not only are congressional positions on the ballot, but there are contests in all three Siouxland states for U.S. Senate seats.

U.S. SENATE

The three Republican incumbent U.S. senators seeking re-election are also all first-termers seeking six more years. The list includes Joni Ernst in Iowa, Ben Sasse in Nebraska and Mike Rounds in South Dakota. The Democratic opponents include Theresa Greenfield in Iowa, Dan Ahlers in South Dakota and it is more complicated in Nebraska.

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Omaha professor Preston Love Jr. is the Democrats' preferred choice as a write-in candidate, after fellow Democrat Chris Janicek won the primary and remains on the ballot. Love has to compete as a write-in candidate because Janicek is pledging to stay in the race as the official nominee despite pressure from party leaders to drop out after he sent lewd texts about a campaign staffer. Also opposing Sasse is Gene Sladek, of the Libertarian Party.

U.S. HOUSE

Covering U.S. House seats, in the Iowa 4th District, incumbent Steve King was ousted in the Republican primary by state Sen. Randy Feenstra of Hull, who now faces Democratic nominee J.D. Scholten. In 2018, Scholten, of Sioux City, lost to King by just 3 percentage points.

In South Dakota's sole House seat, incumbent Republican Dusty Johnson is seeking a second term. Johnson is opposed by Randy Luallin, of the Libertarian Party. No Democratic candidate received enough signatures to get on the ballot.

In Nebraska's 1st District, longtime Republican incumbent Rep. Jeff Fortenberry is opposed by Kate Bolz, a Democrat, and Dennis Grace, a Libertarian. In the Third District, Republican incumbent Adrian Smith's opponents are Mark Elworth, a Democrat, and Dustin Hobbs, a Libertarian.

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One month to election day, early voting measures underway in Siouxland - Southernminn.com