Dave Dreeszen

With the Nov. 5 general election fast approaching, it's not too early for voters in Siouxland to prepare to cast their ballots. In Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, there are a multitude of dates and deadlines ahead for requesting an early ballot, returning their ballot by mail or voting early in person.

SIOUX CITY -- Election security was the key concept in a forum Monday between the two candidates for Woodbury County Auditor.

Early voting starts Wednesday in Iowa, with a shorter window to mail or cast in-person ballots than in the most recent presidential elections.

As early voting kicked off in Iowa Wednesday, 1,020 voters in Woodbury County cast in-person ballots.

In his bid for a second term in the Iowa House, Republican Rep. Zach Dieken of rural Granville faces a challenge from Michael Schnoes, a no party candidate from Sutherland.

Rep. Steve Holt is seeking his sixth term in the Iowa House. In 2022, the Republican ran unopposed in the House District 12, where GOP voters outnumber Democrats.

Republican Travis Sitzmann of Le Mars, Democrat Rosanne Plante of Hinton and No Party candidate Parker Hansen of Correctionville are competing for the open House District 13 seat.

UPS plans to permanently close its Customer Center at 1501 Terminal on Nov. 17. The service center is located in the same sprawling building as the UPS distribution center, which will remain open, a company spokesperson said Thursday.

Two incumbents and a former state legislator are competing for two seats in South Dakota House District 17, which covers the southeast corner of the state.

Three Republicans and two Democrats are competing for three open seats on the Dakota County Commission in Tuesday's election. The candidates include former commissioner Rick Bousquet, a Republican, and four political newcomers -- Republicans Jeff Reed and Walter Beermann and Democrats Ron Hartnett and Rogelio Rodriquez Villalobos.