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How to vote in Iowa’s 2024 general elections
Early voting begins Oct. 16 for Nov. 5 general elections
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Early in-person voting begins Oct. 16 for Iowa's 2024 general elections, and voters wanting to vote absentee must request a ballot by Oct. 21.
The Nov. 5 election will decide races for U.S. President, U.S. House, Iowa Legislature, Iowa constitutional amendments, county supervisors, county bonds, county auditor and school bonds. It’ll determine which political party controls each chamber of Congress and state legislatures nationwide.
Here's what you need to know about how to check your voter registration status, how to request absentee ballots and return them, how to vote early in person and how to vote on Election Day.
Quick links
Linn County elections: linncountyiowa.gov/vote
Johnson County elections: johnsoncountyiowa.gov/auditor/elections
Iowa Secretary of State: sos.iowa.gov
Learn about the candidates at thegazette.com/campaigns-elections
Sample ballots
View the sample ballots based on your precinct for the Nov. 5 general elections:
Linn County sample ballot: Enter your address on the county auditor’s website.
Johnson County sample ballot: The county auditor’s site shows more than 60 sample ballots.
Iowa County sample ballot: Here’s a sample ballot on the county auditor’s website.
Check your registration
Verify your voter status at the secretary of state’s website.
Iowa requires registered voters to:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be an Iowa resident
- Be at least 17 years old as long as you will turn 18 by Election Day
- Not be judged mentally incompetent to vote by a court
- Not claim the right to vote in any other state
Update your voter registration if you have changed your name, address or political party affiliation. You will need another form of documentation proving your residency if your ID does not reflect your current address.
Valid documentation includes:
- Residential lease
- Utility or cellphone bill
- Bank statement
- Paycheck
- Government check or other government document
- Property tax statement
A registered voter in your precinct also may attest to your identity if you are not able to prove your identity with any of those documents. Both you and the attester will need to sign an oath that the information provided is truthful.
The deadline to register for the general election is 5 p.m. Oct. 21. Iowa also allows same-day voter registration at the polls.
You can register online via the Iowa Department of Transportation website (iowadot.gov, search for “voter”) using your Iowa driver’s license or state ID. You also may download and mail a form from the Iowa Secretary of State’s website to your county auditor.
How to vote early in person
Bring your ID: Voters must show a driver's license, non-driver's ID, passport, military ID, veterans ID, tribal ID or Voter ID card.
In Linn County: Early voting takes place at the Linn County Public Service Center, 935 Second St. SW, Cedar Rapids, from Oct. 16 to Nov. 4. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
There also are a number of satellite locations for early Linn County voting:
- Lindale Mall, 4444 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. Oct. 16-Nov. 3. Tuesday through Saturday: 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Sunday: Noon-5 p.m.
- Cedar Rapids Downtown Library, 450 Fifth Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Oct. 19: 10 a.m-4 p.m.; Oct. 20: 1:30-4:30 p.m.
- Cedar Rapids Ladd Library, 3750 Williams Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids. Oct. 26: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Oct. 27: 1:30-4:30 p.m.
- Coe College, Gage Memorial Union, 1220 First Ave NE, Cedar Rapids. Oct. 24: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Hoover Elementary School, 4141 Johnson Ave. NW, Cedar Rapids. Nov. 1: 4:15-10:15 p.m.
- Kirkwood Community College, Recreational Center, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids. Oct. 17: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Marion Public Library, 6th Ave, Marion. Oct. 28: 1 p.m.-7 p.m.
- Meth-Wick Community, 1224 13th St NW, Cedar Rapids. Oct. 25: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- St. Mark’s Methodist Church, 4700 Johnson Ave NW, Cedar Rapids. Oct. 22: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
For more information, visit the Linn County elections website or email elections@linncountyiowa.gov or call 319-892-5300.
In Johnson County: Early voting will be available Wednesday through Nov. 4 at the Auditor's Office in the Administration Building Lobby, 913 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Hours are: weekdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat-Sun, Oct. 26-27, noon-5 p.m.; Sat. Nov. 2, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. Nov. 3, noon-5 p.m.
Drive-through voting also is at the Health & Human Services Building Parking Ramp, 855 S. Dubuque St.
Satellite voting sites also will be available:
- Coralville Public Library, 1401 Fifth St., Coralville. Oct. 19: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Oct. 20: Noon-4 p.m.
- Iowa Memorial Union, 125 N. Madison St., Iowa City (Hubbard Commons). Oct. 21-23: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Iowa Health Care—Iowa River Landing Clinic, 920 E Second Ave., Coralville. Oct. 24: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Iowa Health Care—Health Care Support Services Building, 3281 Ridgeway Dr., Coralville. Oct. 25: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St., Iowa City. Oct. 26: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Oct. 27: noon-5 p.m., Oct. 28-30, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
- North Liberty Community Library, 520 W. Cherry St., North Liberty. Nov. 1-2: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
- University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City—Fountain Lobby. Oct. 21-23: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Find more information at the Johnson County auditor's website, or email elections@johnsoncountyiowa.gov or call 319-356-6004.
How to vote early by mail
Voters may request absentee ballots until 5 p.m. Oct. 21, at which time auditors’ offices must have received the form. Forms received after that time will not receive an absentee ballot.
To request a ballot: Contact your auditor's office if you’d like an absentee ballot mailed to you, or print out the request form online and return it to the auditor’s office. Only the registered voter may sign voting forms.
Absentee ballots will be mailed and can be returned by mail or dropped off at the auditor’s office. To be counted, all mailed absentee ballots must arrive at the auditor’s office before the polls close at 8 p.m. Nov. 5.
Both Linn and Johnson counties will have drop boxes outside their auditors’ offices to collect absentee ballots once early voting begins. These boxes will be available 24/7 and under video surveillance.
• Linn County: Visit the auditor’s website, or email elections@linncounty.org or call 319-892-5300 Ext. 1.
• Johnson County: Visit the county auditor’s website, or email elections@johnsoncountyiowa.gov or call 319-356-6004.
Only the voter, someone in the household, an immediate family member or a designated “delivery agent” may return ballots.
Track your ballot: Visit bit.ly/TrackMyAbsentee to learn when your absentee ballot request was received, when your ballot is mailed and when it is received by the auditor's office.
How to vote on Election Day
What you need: Voters must show a driver's license, non-driver's ID, passport, military ID, veterans ID, tribal ID or Voter ID card before they vote. Contact your county auditor’s office to receive a Voter ID card if needed.
Hours: Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where to vote: Voters must go to their designated precinct to vote on Election Day. This place may have changed because precinct boundaries were redrawn after the census and redistricting process. Check with your county auditor for details or use these lookup tools:
• Linn County: Find your polling place by following the steps in the county's lookup tool on the county’s election website and entering your address.
• Johnson County: Voters can use the lookup tool on the county auditor’s website to find their polling place.
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