Iowa’s absentee voting period begins Wednesday

(ABC 6 News) – Iowans who wish to make their voice heard in the November midterm elections can begin casting ballots on Wednesday.

The day marks the beginning of Iowa’s absentee voting period. It’s the first day auditors can mail absentee ballots to voters who requested them, and Iowans can vote in-person at their county election office if they choose to do so.

So far, more than 144,000 Iowans have requested an absentee ballot. The deadline to request one to be mailed is Monday, October 24 – 15 days before the election. This is changed from the previous requirement of requests due 10 days before a general election.

Ballots can be delivered by mail or in-person to the county auditors office, or delivered in a drop box. Each county has one drop box for absentee ballots. For drop box locations, CLICK HERE.

County auditors must receive absentee ballots by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 8.

Last year, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed legislation into law that shortened both early and Election Day voting windows in Iowa. The new law decreased the time county auditors can start sending out absentee ballots going from 29 days to 20 days before Election Day. It previously fell from 40 days to 29 days in 2017, as required in Iowa’s Voter ID law.

HOW DO I REGISTER?

If not already eligible, individuals can register to vote in a variety of ways, including online, by filling out a print form, or in-person on the voting day. Iowans can check their registration status on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website HERE.

HOW DO I VOTE?

You can also locate your polling place HERE. Polls previously were open until 9:00 p.m. but now close an hour earlier as required by law. Voting locations will be open from 7:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

Voters are required to show a driver’s license, non-driver’s ID, passport, military ID, veterans ID, or Voter ID Card at the polls before they vote. Voters without the necessary ID will be offered a provisional ballot and can provide ID up until the time of the county canvass of votes (Monday after election day for Primary and General Elections).

Any registered voter who does not have a valid driver’s license or non-operator’s ID issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation will be issued a Voter ID Card for free, automatically, in the mail. 

WHAT’S ON MY BALLOT?

Enter your address to see the names of candidates and questions that will be on your ballot. Click HERE for the ballot finder.

For more Iowa voting information, CLICK HERE.

For Election Day FAQ’s, CLICK HERE.