2020 Voting and Candidate Information
Voting information below!
Included below is information on how to request, complete, and return an absentee ballot to ensure that your voice is heard. Get more information on voting absentee at https://voterready.iowa.gov/resource/how-to-vote-absentee/
Any registered voter may choose to vote absentee by mail or in-person in Iowa. To vote absentee by mail, you must be registered to vote and must complete an absentee ballot request form and return the original, signed form to your county auditor. The request form does not need to be witnessed or notarized.
Register to vote online: https://mymvd.iowadot.gov/VoterRegistration
Register to vote with paper form returned to county auditor’s office: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/voteapp.pdf
IMPORTANT DATES
Monday, October 5th– First Day of Absentee Voting for the General ElectionMonday, October 19th– Worry-Free Postmark Date for the General ElectionSaturday, October 24th– Pre-registration Deadline for the General ElectionNovember 2nd – Absentee Ballot In-Person Deadline for the General Election- November 3rd – General Election Day
Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Absentee ballots may be delivered to the county auditor until 9:00 p.m.
REQUEST DEADLINE FOR MAILED BALLOTS
The absentee request form (download at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/absenteeballotapp.pdf) must be received in the county auditor (Look up auditors at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/auditors/auditorslist.html) office by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, eleven days before the election. If the request is for the general election, the deadline to request a ballot by mail is Saturday, ten days before the election.
RECEIVING THE BALLOT
After receiving an absentee request form at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/absenteeballotapp.pdf, the county auditor (Look up auditors at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/auditors/auditorslist.html) will mail the voter a ballot.
For primary and general elections, the ballots are mailed no sooner than 29 days before election day. For other elections, ballots are mailed to voters as soon as they are ready, but no sooner than 29 days before the election.
Your ballot will arrive with instructions on how to mark the ballot as well as how to return the ballot.
RETURNING THE BALLOT
Mark your ballot, and then follow the instructions included with your ballot to return it in the postage-paid return envelope. It is vital that you utilize the return envelope supplied by the county auditor.
You can:
Mail your ballot
-or-
Hand deliver your ballot during business hours or any time up until 9 p.m. on Election Day, to your County Auditor
-or-
Surrender your absentee ballot at your precinct polling place on Election Day and vote a regular ballot
-or-
Vote a provisional ballot at the polls on Election Day if you cannot surrender your voted absentee ballot.
Voted absentee ballots cannot be delivered to the polling place on election day.
TRACKING THE BALLOT
Did you know you can track the status of your absentee ballot after your request form has been received by the county auditor? Click https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/absenteeballotstatus/absentee/search to get an update on your ballot’s status.
