Statewide, Iowa — Early voting is now underway in Iowa for this year’s General Election.
Iowans may vote in-person at their county auditor’s office or the election office in their county. This is also the first day county auditors can mail an absentee ballot to a voter who requested one. In order to be counted, your county auditor must receive that ballot by 8 p.m. on November 8th. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says don’t depend on overnight delivery by the U.S. Postal Service.
Dropboxes must be inside or directly outside the county auditor’s office. Iowans can track the progress of their absentee ballot online. The address is voterready.iowa.gov.
The most common mistake voters make on a mail-in ballot is they forget to sign and date the envelope. Monday, October 24th, is the last day you can request your county auditor to mail you an absentee ballot by filling out an official request for absentee ballot form.
Early voting has been underway in the neighboring states of Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota and more than a dozen other states. As of the morning of October 18th, 153,000 Iowans had submitted a request for an absentee ballot and Pate is repeating that reminder about a new deadline for absentee ballots.
Voters do not have to mail absentee ballots. They may be hand-delivered to their county auditor’s office. A voter’s relatives or guardian may assist in returning an absentee ballot. Under a new state law, anyone else could be charged with a crime if they collect or deliver an absentee ballot from a voter with whom they have no legal or family relationship.
