O’Brien County, Iowa — In this June’s primary elections record numbers of voters skipped going to the polls due to the pandemic, and cast their votes by absentee ballot. With concerns of COVID-19 still on the minds of many voters, the same type of thing is expected for this November’s general election.
O’Brien County Auditor Barb Rohwer says her office began accepting requests for the general election absentee ballots last month.
(As above) “We started actually taking requests for the general election back on July 6th, that was the first day and we’ll take requests up through October 24th, which is a Saturday…five o’clock will be the deadline for any mail-out requests for absentees.”
Prior to the June primary election, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office mailed out absentee ballot request forms to every voter in Iowa. Rohwer says something similar will happen for the November general election.
(As above) “Once again, like with the primary, the Secretary of State’s Office is going to send out an absentee request form to every active voter in the state of Iowa. They’re telling us currently that those request forms will be going out the last week of August.”
She says that, while you can send in an absentee ballot request form now, it will be several weeks before you’ll receive the actual ballot in the mail.
(As above) “We can’t mail out any absentee ballots, nor can you come in and vote in person until October 5th. That will be the first day.”
Rohwer says once you receive your absentee ballot and fill it out, there are some important deadlines for returning it to the County Auditor’s Office.
(As above) “They have to be at least postmarked no later than the day before the election, so that would be November 2nd, and/or if they’re going to bring them in (to the Auditor’s Office) they have to be back here by nine o’clock election night…they CAN’T bring them to a polling place. (Mailed in ballots) have to be back here by noon on November 9th, with a postmark on, or before, the 2nd of November.”
She says a record number of absentee ballots were cast in the June primary election, and with the COVID-19 pandemic still hanging over our heads she expects another record absentee ballot turnout for the November 3rd general election.
