Early voting continues in the Nov. 8 general election — there will be satellite voting locations open in Linn County this weekend and two in Johnson County. The auditor’s offices in both counties are also adding weekend hours to accommodate voters who want to cast a ballot before Election Day on Tuesday.
In Iowa City, the auditor’s office in the Johnson County Administration Building (913 S Dubuque St) and the drive-thru voting site at the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building’s parking ramp (855 S Dubuque St) will be open on Saturday and Sunday. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 5, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6. Voter can also cast a ballot at both sites during the auditor’s normal office hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Friday and Monday.
Voters will also be able to vote at the Coralville Public Library (1401 5th St) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The North Liberty Community Liberty (520 W Cherry St) will have early voting at its satellite site from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
In Cedar Rapids, the Linn County Auditor’s Office, located in the Jean Oxley Public Service Center (935 2nd St SW, Cedar Rapids) on Saturday. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The officer will also be open those same hours on Friday and Monday for early voting.
The county’s satellite voting site at Lindale Mall (4444 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids) will be open on Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The final day for early voting at Lindale Mall will be Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
To vote, you will need to show one of the following forms of ID:
• Iowa Voter Identification Card
• Iowa Driver’s License
• Iowa Non-Operator ID
• U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID
• U.S. Passport
• Tribal ID Card/Document
If you have moved since the last time you voted, and your ID does not have your current address, you will need to provide proof of your current residence. According to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office, the following forms of proof of residence are acceptable.
• Residential lease
• Utility bill, including a cell phone bill
• Bank statement
• Paycheck
• Government check
• Other government document
• Property tax statement
If you receive an absentee ballot by mail, it is almost certainly too late to return it by mail. Last year, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed new restrictions on voting by mail into law. Prior to the change, an absentee ballot that was postmarked by Election Day would be counted as long as it arrived in the auditor’s office by the Monday following the election. Now, absentee ballots must be received in the auditor’s office before the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. (The same bill cut voting time on Election Day by an hour.)
A completed and sealed absentee ballot can be deposited in the auditor’s ballot drop box before 8 p.m. on Tuesday. The new voting restriction also limits each county to just one drop box. In Johnson County, the drop box is located on the south side of the Johnson County Administration Building. The drop box in Linn County is outside the Jean Oxley Public Service Center.
Alternatively, you can bring your absentee ballot with you to a voting location, turn it over to an election worker and then vote, either early or on Election Day.
Anyone with questions regarding where or how to vote can get answers by calling their auditor’s office. In Johnson County, the phone number for the auditor’s office is 319-356-6004. The Linn County Auditor’s Office can be reached at 319-892-5300.
