Voter Information

Political Calendar

January 23, 2010 - Caucuses

June 8, 2010 - Primary Election
November 2, 2010 - General Election

Surveys

http://www.iowachristian.com/caucus_training_2009.htm Caucus to Convention

2008 Platforms:

 Voter Registration http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/elections/voteapp.pdf

VOTER REGISTRATION and ABSENTEE BALLOT INFORMATION

Registering to vote is simple and convenient. A person may obtain a voter registration application at the office of their county election commissioner (auditor) or by logging on to http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/voterreg/reg_to_vote.html 

For individuals registering for the first time or re-registering with a new address, please fill out the registration form online at: http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/elections/voteapp.pdf.

You can mail or hand deliver it to your local county auditor's office 10 days prior to the primary or general election. Local county auditor's offices can be found at: http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/auditors/auditorslist.html.

You must remember a few key things in order to register to vote in Iowa, you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Iowa
• Be at least 17-1/2 years old.
• Not currently be judged “incompetent” to vote by a court.
• Not be registered or able to vote in another state

Voters who are registered in Iowa, but have recently moved must reregister in accordance with registration deadlines.

 

ABSENTEE VOTING:

Request forms for absentee ballots may be obtained online at http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/absenteeballotapp.pdf or mailed upon request from the Secretary of State's office.

REQUESTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

A person wishing to request an absentee ballot must do so with the official form prescribed by the Iowa Secretary of State. The form can be requested through your local county auditor, through the Secretary of State’s office, through your local county political party, or even from a candidate running for office in your area.

The only information required on the form is:

 Date of Election
 Party in which you are voting (during primary elections)
 Signature and date of request
 And any such other information the auditor may need to assist in identifying your record in the file.

If you give your request to someone to be delivered to the auditor, make sure that you receive a receipt. Your request must be submitted to the auditor within 72 hours of its receipt.


UPON BALLOT RECEIPT

Once you have received your ballot in the mail, you may return it by:
 Mailing your ballot to your auditor in the postage paid envelope you receive when it arrives at your home.
 Delivering it to the County Auditor’s office
 Allowing a trained courier to return your ballot to the auditor.
o The courier must give you a receipt upon picking up your ballot. The ballot must be in its security envelope.
o Ask the courier to show you their credentials to ensure the safety of your ballot


 Once you have placed your ballot in the affidavit envelope and it has been sealed, it may not be reopened. Opening the affidavit envelope will spoil the ballot. If for some reason, you must remove the ballot from the affidavit envelope after it has been sealed, please call your county auditor for advice.
 A courier may not mail any absentee ballot other than their own. Only an immediate family member may place an absentee ballot in the mail for a family member. Immediate family is defined as: husband, wife, children 18 or older (including step-children), grand-children 18 years or older, parent, grandparent, sister or brother 18 years or older.

 You may take your absentee ballot to the polls, surrender it and vote at the polls
 If you lose your absentee ballot, you may still vote at the polls by casting a provisional ballot. If the election workers challenge this activity have them place a call to the county auditor.

 Contact your County Auditor for the exact location of your polling place.  http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/auditors/AuditorsList.html
• Absentee ballots delivered in person must be turned in to the County Auditor by the close of polls.

Ballots are mailed to voters 40 days before Primary and General elections. Absentee ballots may be sent to voters through the U.S. Postal Service. Voters may also vote by absentee ballot in person at the county auditor's office or at satellite absentee voting locations.

Completed forms should be returned to the county auditor in the county where the voter is registered.

POLLING PLACE:

For primary and general elections, polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Click here to find your local polling place.