Polls open an hour from now. Im Jerry Gallagher and im ally crutcher a cold front tracking through the area this morning is squeezing out a few showers but will quickly clear out. Temperatures are in the 50s with the clouds but have dropped into the 40s with the clear skies behind. East and will stay mainly 1015 mph for the rest oe now. Northwest winds will stay decision 2016 todays the day millions of americans cast their votes. Were keeping an eye on results nationally and here in iowa, one key race were watching is iowas first Congressional District. Firstterm republican congressman rod blum faces democratic challenger Monica Vernon. Us live in the telegraph herald newsroom with more on both candidates. Good morning shirley. Good morning ally and jerry. Political experts say this one will be a close race. Freshman congressman rod blum background. His opponent is Monica Vernon, former cedar rapids councilwoman. When it comes to the issues. Blum is wants to reform the culture of and we can not have a country that just has rich people and poor people, the strenght of america has always been and throng, thats what this is all about, its about being an american. Both want job creation and more economic oppurtunities here in eastern iowa and want to preserve social security. When it comes to iowas farms and agriculture. They both seem to also agree. Blum wants to expand those markets, while vernon wants to protect and promote them. Live from the telegraph herald newsroom in dubuque. Shirley descorbeth. News 7 kwwl. Were also watching some of the other Congressional Districts in iowa. Iowas second congressional currently represented by Democrat Dave loebsack. Hes held the position since 2007, but republican Christopher Peters is looking to unseat the congressman. Peters works as a doctor and served our country for nine years in the Us Army Medical corp. In House District four, the northwest portion of our state longtime congressman republican steve king. Democrat kim weaver is also on the ballot. Were also watching the Us Senate Race in iowa. Longtime republican senator Chuck Grassley ise term. His competitor is patty judge. She served as Lieutenant Governor from 2007 to 2011. For eight years before that, she served as iowa secretary of agriculture. Grassley is one of the longest serving senators in our countrys history. Hes never lost an election since he first ran for the Iowa Legislature back in 1958. Thousands of iowans voted early. For those who plan to head to things to remember. Kwwls Amanda Gilbert is live in cedar falls for us im at heartland Vinyard Church in cedar falls. Its one of many polling locations in Black Hawk County. In less than an hour workers polls open at 7 this morning. And they dont close until 9 tonight. I spoke with the Black Hawk County auditor. He says. If youre registering when you arrive. All you need is your drivers license as long as it has your current addrs a common mistake people make is going to the wrong polling location. Make sure you know where to go. We have a link to that on our website right now kwwl dot com. Because tensions have been so high this year the Black Hawk CountyAuditors Office made sure to train precinct workers on what to do if a fight or a disruption breaks out. Their response will depend on how serious the situation is. The general elections been serving as a learning tool in ia many Schools Holding their own Mock Elections for students who are too young to vote including Prairie High School in cedar rapids. Once polls were open, voting was done through a link online. Students say although not old enough to vote its important its teaching kids that you know this is your voice, this is your profound voice in our government and you need to utilize that absolutely. Students voted on all of the races on the ballot from state races all the way up to the now. Tracie potts is in new york this morning where both donald trump and Hillary Clinton will Hillary Clintons back home in new york this morning New Hampshire with only a handful of voters reported four for clinton, two for donald trump just after midnight. Tomorrow night this election will end but i want you to clinton wrapped her campaign in North Carolina with celebrities there and with the obamas in philadelphia. Lets show tomorrow there will be no question about the outcome of this election. I am betting that tomorrow, you will reject fear and youll choose hope. Trump and mike pence ended their campaign with an earlymorning rally in michigan. It is november the 8th. The day we make America Great again. Trumps going after this blue state. Michigan hasnt voted republican since 1988. Michigan now stands at the crossroads of history. If we win michigan we will win this are nearly deadlocked. New hampshire has never disappointed me. Disappointments sure to come. For one of these with two president ial candidates at the same town literally a couple of miles apart security is very tight night sides but also the one thousand polling places in the city. Tracie potts, nbc news, new york. Today. And as you might imagine with two president ial candidates at the same of officers out. Not only protecting the Election Night tracie potts, nbc news, new york. Both Hillary Clinton and donald trump plan to vote in person today. Four years ago president obama cast his ballot early, weeks ahead of election day. Its not just politicians on the affected by the results of ballot measures. Most notably legalizing marijuana, for both medical and recreational uses. Nine states will vote on marijuana today. In california voters have a significant decision to make about whether to overturn the Death Penalty and make it illegal. Other notable measures nationwide include minimum wage, gun control, and taxes. As the nation faces the possibility of electing its first woman president tonight voters across the country are vig theyve left flowers, notes and i just voted stickers. Anthony played a major role in the effort to get women the right to vote though she died 14 years before the law would allow her to cast her ballot. No matter who wins the president ial race inauguration is scheduled for january 20th. And preparations are already undwerway. A chain link fence now stands in front of the north side of the white even though we still havent gotten to the elections yet we elected into the white house so might as well get everything ready to go. The secret service, fbi. Fema and other agencies have been planning the event for months. Well continue to follow election day throughout today in iowa. The today show will also have full coverage starting at seven this morning, right as today in iowa time now is xxx. A quick look now at some of the a funeral will be held today for a murdd martins funeral will be in his hometown of rockwell city, des Moines Sergeant anthony beminios funeral was yesterday. He was an 11 yearold veteran of the Des Moines Police force. He was 39years old and leaves behind a wife and three pores. But his size and strength were just a small part of who he was. He was intelligent, organized, creative and detailed. When tony was at work he always had the advantage, and his level of that tony wasnt just good at this job, he was great at this job. Officers from across the state are attending funerals for both fallen iowa officers. Another plea in a robbery and murder case out of dubuque county. 30yearold savanna stotlar plg degree robbery. Shes one of eight people arrested in connection to the death of collin brown in key west back in april. Tacari minifee, imere hall, taylor shaw, and Eric Campbell a guilty plea from a man who sold heroin and fentanyl, leading to one persons death. 22yearold joshua manning, of maquoketa, admits two people suffered serious injuries, another dying, from the drugs he sold them. He faces a minimum of 20 years in prison and possible life sentence. Dpeuties in grant county broke into and damaged the Peoples State Bank in glen haven on sunday. Deputies noticed the back door was kicked in, along with other damage. If you have any information or recognize the person in the photos, contact the Grant County Sheriffs Office or crimestoppers a parked camper is destroyed in a fire. This is whats left of the camper which was parked in a neighborhood on the Southeast Side of cedar rapids near mercy hospital. Luckily no one got hurt. The cause of the fire is not known. El a poptart in the toaster and in flames. From the toaster oven, into my bedroom to yelling at them to ten minutes, ten minutes to destroy your home ten mintues, thats all it took shes grateful she was awake because the home had no working smoke detectors. Other names on the ballot. A number of judges appear on the ballot but you may not now your storm track 7 sometimes, maybe its worth listening to a politician. Take congressman rod blum. On social security, blum doesnt just back the Republican Special interest agenda hes campaigning on it. Risking seniors guaranteed benefits on the stock market. And blum supported benefit cuts by voting to raise social securitys retirement age. So if you care about a secure retirement, listen to rod blum hes putting your security at risk. House majority pac is responsible meteorologist eileen loan now from the kwwl stormtrack 7 weather team. See the screen for your complete stormtrack 7 weather team stormtrack7 Live Weather Network cameras will show clearing skies this morning as a cold front tracks to the east. We will end up days with breezy conditions today and thursday. Temps this morning are mainly in the 50s but will drop into the 40s in the north on the back side of the front. Cooler to the northwest. Winds have turned to the north northwest behind the front and are already around 15 mph and clouds are a disturbance approaching the plains, but we will be mainly dry for the next several days. It will be cooler today with highs in the 50s and 60s over the region. More of the same tomorrow, with a bit of a warmup over the plains. Highs today will be in we drop to the low to mid 30s tonight with areas of fog as the winds die down under mainly clear skies. More sunshine tomorrow with highs in the mid to upper 50s. And we warm to the low 60s on thursday with help from breezy southwest winds. We stay dry through the weekend with temps cooling back around 15 mph and will stay there most of the day, gusting higher at times. A few clouds are tracking through the dakotas with a weak disturbance approaching the plains, but we will be mainly dry for the next several days. It will be cooler today with highs in the 50s and 60s over the region. More of the same tomorrow, withb plains. Highs today will be in the mid 50s with gusty northwest winds and mostly sunny skies. We drop to the low to mid 30s tonight with areas of fog as the winds die highs in the mid to upper 50s. Winds. We stay dry through the the choices they make can affect us all but do you know who they are . A deeper look at the judges on the ballot and when you see news or if you have pictures or video to share. You can do that by going to our page on facebook. You can also like our page to tonight features names that many iowans may not know. Cady, hecht and appel. They are Iowa Surpreme Court because they dont campaign for their jobs. Theres a lot of noise in candidates on the ballot, the retention votes. Chief Justice Mark Cady along with justices daryl hecht and brent appel need a simple majority to remain on the bench. Theyre facing voters for the First Time Since a controversial ruling in 2009. Thats e gay marriage. After that, christian conservatives campaigned to get them off the bench. Voters removed three which marks the only time thats happened since iowa went to a Retention System more than 50 years ago. The justices dont campaign because they believe the court should be above politics. Theyre just fine, fine, fine individuals, everyone in the john wood and the Iowa State Bar Association tries to inform voters about judges through a almost 15hundred lawyers grade judges on a number of things knowledge of the law, punctuality, courtroom decorum, timeliness of decisions, things that matter to iowans. In the most recent review, chief justice cady received a 91 which would be similar to an a. Justice hecht an 88, Justice Appel an 82. There has not been a highprofile effort to campaign against the justices this time around. The family leader rejected kwwls request for an interview, but gave a statement saying in part they want people to vote them out claiming the justices have used their office for political activism. The Bar Association has a different view. There is a very concerted effort to come to the right result and the right ruling that that applies the laws to the if youd like to read the performance reviews for the justices, theres a link in our web story. Just go to kwwl dotcom. Its coming up lions make their president ial picks ahead of todays elections. Plus s president ial race now gaining eileen loan is back with another check of your storm track seven forecast. Mostly sunny and cooler today and tomorrow with highs in the 50s. Breezy mainly in the 50s and lows in 50s and lows in the 30s. Maybe you plan on voting today or perhaps youve already cast your ballot. Voting early the choice for these lions at a zoo in texas. Zookeepers gave them a choice between a blue or red ball picked trump ball. And appeared to have fun as they played with it. Well have to and see if shes correct. Weve seen a number of stores in the us doing well with president ial campaign themed items. The popularity now spreading overseas. Owners of a gift shop in moscow say Traditional RussianNesting Dolls with portraits of Republican Trump are gaining popularity. Wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside another are a its coming up on today in iowa. We continue to take a deep look at the races that matter to iowans this election day. Our kwwl political analyst will join us when today in youre watching kwwl. Weve got you covered. This is today rs, okay . And you can tell them to go f themselves you know, you could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. You gotta see this guy. Ahh, i dont know what i said, ahh. I dont remember. Sometimes, maybe its worth listening to a politician. Take congressman rod blum. On social security, blum doesnt just back the Republican Special interest agenda hes campaigning on it. For years, hes pressed to privatize social security, risking seniors guaranteed benefits on the stock market. And blum supported benefit cuts by voting to raise social securitys retirement age. So if you care about a secure retirement, listen to rod blum hes putting your security at risk. House majority pac is responsible and im Jerry Gallagher. Thank you for joining us for a coverage for you looking at the races going on here in eastern iowa. Lets start with our election day forecast heres storm track seven meteorologist eileen loan. Eileen on camera a cold front tracking through the area this morning is squeezing out a f will quickly clear out. Temperatures are in the 50s with the clouds but have dropped into the 40s with the mph as the front tracks to the east and will stay mainly 1015 mph for the rest of the day. We will be mainly sunny and cooler today with highs about where they are right now. Northwest winds will stay gusty. Very both president ial candidates hold rallies late into the night hoping to make sure people go out and vote. By the time Hillary Clinton took the stage in North Carolina it was officially election day husband, daughter, and performers jon bon jovi and lady there is no reason my friends why americas best days are not ahead of us if we reach for them together. Today clinton will vote in person at an Elementary School in her hometown in new york. Donald trumps final rally also going into the early hours of election day. Trump held his fifth event of a final marathon day in grand rapids, michigan. A traditionally just miles from where Hillary Clinton rallied supporters earlier monday. Im asking you to dream big because with your vote we are just hours away from the change youve been waiting for your entire life. Trump also at his new york home today planning to vote in person. Both candidates will be in new york as they await Election Results tonight its event in new york at the Jacob Javits Center a Convention Hall with a glass ceiling. Never before has the country had a woman as president not to mention the spouse of a former president. Her supporters hope she will give a victory speech there tonight. Trumps campaign is headquartered at the new york hilton midtown. This is the first time both president ial candidates will be in new york city on Election Night since 1944. Another big state to watch considering how important its been in many other elections over the years. Trump and clinton fought fiercely for that state. Voting now underway on the east coast. And we already have results from some cities under New Hampshire state law, communities with fewer than 100 voters can open polls at midnight and close them as soon as everyone has voted. Clinton won more votes in two cities but trump was the overwhelming favorite in the third taking a 32 to 25 vote lead overall. Open in less than 30 minutes. Polls workers are already there. Kwwls Amanda Gilberts been speaking to them about expectations shes live in cedar falls. It is a busy morning here at Heartland Vineyard Church. Workers have been up for about right now. Polls open at 7 thir morning and is a popular polling location in Black Hawk County. Last election they had about 12 hundred voters come through. And they say this year something new. They have some extra volunteers helping out. They usually have about 4 or 5. This year they have 7. To prepare for high turnout or to prepare for any disruptions that might happen since tensions have been high with this election. And polls are open until 9 tonight. You will be able to vote as long as you are in line by 9 tonight. Live in cedar falls, Amanda Gilbert, news 7 kwwl. Across the country weve heard of long lines to vote. Many eastern iowans deciding not to wait until election day, hoping to beat the rush. Butin many voters calling it the most i voted for trump. I just believe that the policies he i voted for Hillary Clinton. I just feel like she stands behind the values that i have for myself and professionally and for the people i care about. Of iowas two pointone million voters opted to vote early. Were watching state and federal this years election quote his toughest race yet. His competitor patty judge served as Lieutenant Governor from 2007 to 2011. She also served in the Iowa State Senate and was the first woman senator grassley is seeking his seventh term as senator which makes him one of the longest serving he served in the Iowa Legislature and the us house of representatives before winning his senate seat in 1980. Fighting to win the first. A tight race were watching is iowas first Congressional District. Republican incukbent rod blum facing democrat Monica Vernon in the district which covers northeast iowa. Kwwls Shirley Descorbeth joins us live from the dubuque telegraph herald newsroom with more on where the candidates sta good morning jerry. This First District race is being a very competitive one. So much so. That congressman rod blum decided to forgo attending the Republican NationalConvention Earlier in the election cycle. To stay here to the district includes much of dubuque. On the ballot, is dubuque native rod blum. Who comes from a Monica Vernon, former cedar rapids councilwoman. We caught up with both of them up, we continue to work hard, in informing people on where i stand on the issues. And we feel is everyone to get out and vote, so im excited to join the american. When it comes to the issues. Blum is wants to reform the culture of congress with term limits. As for vernon. She pledges to fight for working families both want job creation and more economic oppurtunities here in eastern iowa and want to preserve social security. Live from the telegraph herald newsroom in dubuque. Shirley descorbeth. News 7 kwwl. The first Congressional District covers most of the kwwl eastern iowans. In the second Congressional DistrictDemocrat Dave loebsack looking to win his sixth term. Republican Christopher Peters works as a doctor and served in the army. Hes looking to unseat loebsack. And in the fourth Congressional District longtime congressman republican steve king faces democrat kim weaver. Were also watching state races very closely. Right now, republicans hold a majority in the iowa house 57 to 43. We dont expect that to change after tonight. That could be a different sry in the senate. Iowa democrats will try to hold onto their slim advantage. Right now, theyre in control by two seats. If a few seats flips that means republicans could control the house, senate and governors office. Claims the federal elections commissions computers have been hacked are being dismissed. The fec said theyre not aware of being hacked, and even if they were, it could not affect the Election Results. The fec notes it has no role in vote counting on election day. The administration of elections and voting counts are early voting playing a key role this election cycle. In florida more people there have voted early than turned out for the entire 2000 election sixpointfour million floridians voted early or absentee. Just fivepoint nine million total people voted in the disputed 2000 election between george wbush and al gore. You can vote from almost anywhere via absentee ballot, even outer space nasa says one astronaut recently fii the president ial election on board the International Space station. For more decision 2016 coverage, just head to our website kwwl dot com. We have a link to help you find your polling place. Time now is xxx. Lets take a quick look at some of the top nonpolitical stories of the day. A funeral will be held for one of the central iowa officers killed in an ambush attack last week. Officer Justin Martin was a a funeral was held yesterday for des moines officer tony beminio. During the service, the Des Moines Police chief decribed beminio and were all better for it. Now his time of service has ended and god has called him home. I am absolutely heart broken. God bless tony beminio. A university of iowa student has died after falling from a light pole. It happened at the iowa city ped mall last week. In the right side of your screen youll see a man hanging from a light pole. Moments later he falls. According to our coverage two cars involved in a deadly crash in cedar falls have been destroyed in a fire. That crash happened early saturday morning. The fire on sunday. The fire happened in a police storage building. The Fire Department is using a drone to help in their investigation. Police say riot gear they use was also destroyed along with other things kept as long term evidence typically held until court cases are over. Police chief jeff olsen says this will not have a major impact on what the dert storage for cases that have been disposed of but we dont want to get rid of the evidence. The Fire Department says there is no reason to believe arson is to blame. Were getting a look at the exaact moment a massive sinkhole opened up in dubuque over the weekend. In this Surveillance Video you see a close call for this car who drives over the weak spot in the road. Sinkhole. The road should be reopened on thursday. Its coming up the state of the races. Our political analyst joins us live to break down what we might be able to expect tonight. Polls open now in the eastern time zone a live look at new york now. This is actually Hillary Clintons polling place a decent turnout there already the forecast from storm track seven meteorologist eileen loan now your storm track 7 forecast on kwwl. Lets go to storm track seven meteorologist eileen loan now for 7 weather team. See the screen for your complete weather information. Here is additional forecast information from the kwwl stormtrack 7 weather team stormtrack7 Live Weather Network cameras will show clearing skies this morning as a cold front tracks to the east. We will end up mainly sunny for the next several days with breezy conditions today and thursday. Temps this morning are mainly in the 50s but will drop into the 40s in the north front. Cooler to the northwest. Winds have turned to the north northwest behind the front and are already around 15 mph and will stay there most of the day, gusting higher at times. A few clouds are tracking through the dakotas with a weak disturbance approaching the plains, but we will be mainly dry for the next several days. It will be cooler today with highs in the 50s and 60s over the region. More of the warmup over the plains. Highs today will be in the mid 50s with gusty northwest winds and mostly sunny skies. We drop to the low to mid 30s tonight with areas of fog as the winds die down under mainly clear skies. More sunshine tomorrow with highs in the mid to upper 50s. And we warm to the low 60s on thursday with help from breezy southwest winds. We stay dry through the weekend with temps our election day coverage jerry is with kwwl political anaylst chris larime joining us live this morning. Jerry . Uni Political Science professor Chris Larimer here now. Lets start with iowa and president ial politics. Iowa has turned red only once since 1984. The last Des Moines Register seven point lead. Does that take into account turnout . What cities or counties are you looking at tonight as early barometers for how this race will go in iowa . How about the country weve heard that virginia is a critical state. Iowa . How about the country weve heard that virginia is a its a good sign. If it doesnt if it takes longer to decide thats a good sign for what cities or counties are you barometers for how this race will go in iowa . How about the country weve heard that virginia is a critical state. If it goes early for clinton its a good sign. If it doesnt if it takes longer to decide thats a good sign elections in iowa everyones watching the us senate it will be a major shock to see any shift in power with the house what are you keeping a close eye on tonight . How about the country weve heard that virginia is a critical state. If it goes early for clinton sign. If it doesnt if it takes longer to decide thats a good sign for trump. Some of the down ballot elections in iowa everyones watching the us senate it will be a major shock to see any shift in power with the house what are you keeping a close eye on tonight . The iowa senate could shift there are some key races in eastern that people across the state are do you think that the latest clinton has since been cleared again on all charges for her the power to decide which way a presiden if she wins tomorrow either candidate . Thank you doctor larimer on kwwl dot com for his insight into Election Night. As the results unfold tomorrow its coming up polls in iowa open in about ten minutes people are already lining up a live look at cedar falls now. Polls open in eastern iowa were keeping an eye on what you kwwls Amanda Gilbert is live from a polling place in cedar falls good morning amanda. An exciting morning here at Heartland Vineyard Church in cedar falls. This is one of the many polling polls open in just a few minutes already over here we have some voters showing up. Standing inside since it is a little and here you can see thy are allowed to vote. Live in cedar falls, Amanda Gilbert, news kwwl. In iowa polls are open for 14 hours on election day. It were wrapping up today in iowa with the forecast from storm track seven head out to vote today we want to remind you no selfies in the voting booth remember in iowa its booths. The iowa secretary of state asking people not to post selfies inside the booth. But you can always take one wearing your sticker once youre back outside. Eileen is back with another check forecast. Mostly sunny and cooler today and tomorrow with highs in the 50s. Breezy today and thursday. Mainly dry through the weekend with highs mainly in the 50s and lows in the 30s. Thanks for joining us, the today show is next and well be back have a great day. Good morning. Election day. Its now officially tuesday, november 8th. Lets make history together polls now open. Voters casting their ballots after the most contentious and controversial president ial campaign in history. 18 grueling months. I accept your nomination for president of the United States i humbly and gratefully accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States. A race full of stunning