Iowa/Voting

Voting Information

Eligible to Vote:

• Must be at least 17 years old.
• Must be a United States Citizen.
• Must be an Iowa Resident.
• Cannot be a convicted felon (unless your voting rights have been restored by the Governor, including through Executive Order, after a felony conviction—for more information visit RestoreYourVote.Iowa.Gov).
• Cannot be judged mentally incompetent by a court of law.
• Cannot claim the right to vote in any other place.

ID Requirements

• Iowa Driver’s License (not expired more than 90 days)
• Iowa Non-Operator ID (not expired more than 90 days)
• U.S. Passport (not expired)
• U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID (not expired)
• Iowa Voter Identification Card (must be signed)
• Tribal ID Card/Document (must be signed, with photo, not expired

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Completed voter registrations may be mailed to your county auditor and must be received by 5:00 p.m. CT or postmarked fifteen days prior to the election. Registrations submitted online must be completed at or before 11:59 p.m. CT fifteen days prior to the election.

When pre-registering to vote at your county auditor’s office or by mail, you’ll need either your driver’s license, non-operator ID, or to know the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

When pre-registering to vote online, you’ll need either your driver’s license or non-operator ID, and the last FIVE digits of your Social Security Number.

In-person absentee voting is available beginning 20 days prior to the election and runs up to 5 p.m. the day prior to the election. You can vote in your county auditor’s office or at an appropriate satellite location, if available.

Absentee Voting

In order to receive an absentee ballot, a registered voter MUST provide the following necessary information:

• Name
• Date of Birth

• Iowa Residential Address
• Voter Verification Number (ID Number)
  • Iowa Driver’s License or Non-Operator ID Number OR
  • Four-digit Voter PIN located on the voter’s Iowa Voter ID Card
  • Any voter may request an Iowa Voter ID Card by contacting their County Auditor’s Office
• The name OR date of the election for which you are requesting an absentee ballot
• Party affiliation – only required for Primary Elections, which are held in even-numbered years
• Signature and date the form was completed

Election officials are required to ask voters registered in the county to show one of the valid forms of identification:

• Iowa Driver’s License (not expired more than 90 days)
• Iowa Non-Operator ID (not expired more than 90 days)
• U.S. Passport (not expired)
• U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID (not expired)
• Iowa Voter Identification Card (must be signed)
• Tribal ID Card/Document (must be signed, with photo, not expired)

An Iowa Voter Identification Card is provided automatically by the county auditor to each voter who does not have either an Iowa driver’s license or non-operator ID. Any voter may request an Iowa Voter ID Card by contacting their county auditor’s office.

A voter without one of the above forms of ID may have the voter’s identity attested to by another registered voter in the precinct or may prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents.

After receiving your request form, the county auditor will mail you a ballot.

Ballots are mailed no sooner than 20 days before Election Day. Please allow several days for delivery before contacting your county auditor for a replacement or presenting in person to vote a replacement ballot.

Your ballot will arrive with instructions on how to mark the ballot as well as how to return 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 so that is received by 8:00 p.m. CT on Election Day.
• Hand deliver your ballot to your county auditor by 8:00 p.m. CT on Election Day.
• You may designate someone to return your ballot under one of the following circumstances:
  • The designee is an immediate family member.
  • The designee is a member of your household.
  • You are disabled and you have designated someone to return your ballot.

Directions and rules for designating someone to return your ballot are included in the official instructions included with your mailed ballot.

• Surrender your absentee ballot at your precinct polling place on Election Day and vote a regular ballot.
• 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

Early Voting

The early voting period begins 20 days before Election Day. You can vote at your County Auditor's office during business hours Monday-Friday. Additionally, county auditor offices are open the Saturday before Election Day. For more information, contact your County Auditor.

You will need to fill out the Absentee Ballot Request Form used in Iowa for In-Person Absentee “Early” voting. Note: Using a label printed from the check-in tablet is no longer a valid method of completing the form.

You are required to show an ID when voting early in person. You can find more information on acceptable forms of ID, here.

Polls are open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm