As early voting for the Nov. 3 election continues, the drive-through voting sites for Johnson County and Linn County are adding weekend hours, and both counties are opening new satellite voting locations.
The drive-through voting site in Johnson County at the parking ramp north of the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building in Iowa City (855 S Dubuque St), will be open on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Linn County is only adding Saturday hours at its drive-through site near the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center in Cedar Rapids (823 3rd St SW). It will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Weekday hours at the sites remain the same: Both are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Two satellite voting locations will open this week in Johnson County.
Iowa City Public Library
123 S Linn St
Monday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Iowa Memorial Union
125 N Madison St, Hubbard Lounge
Monday, Oct. 19 to Friday, Oct. 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Linn County is adding one satellite site.
Mission of Hope
1700 B Ave NE
Tuesday, Oct. 20, noon-6 p.m.
The Linn County Auditor’s Office also has an in-person voting site set up at the food court of Lindale Mall (4444 1st Ave, NE) this will be open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Any voter can use the satellite voting locations in their county. Both counties also have set up drop boxes for those who want to deliver their already-completed absentee ballots to the auditor’s office instead of mailing them.
Johnson County has two drop boxes located on the south side of the Johnson County Administration Building (913 S Dubuque St), as well as a drop slot at the front entrance of the building that people on foot can use.
The drop box in Linn County is located at its drive-through early voting site.
Absentee ballots must be in a drop off box by the time polls close at 9 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, in order to be valid.
ID required
The voter-ID law passed by the Iowa legislature in 2017 is now in full effect. To vote in the general election, you will need to show one of the following types of ID to vote.
• 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 a voter doesn’t have one of the acceptable forms of ID, another registered voter who has ID can attest to the ID-less voter’s identity. The voter without ID can then cast a provisional ballot.
Anyone casting a provisional ballot will be given instructions for what needs to be done to have that provisional ballot counted. In order for the ballot to be counted, the voter must complete the process by noon on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Deadlines this week
Saturday, Oct. 24, is final day to request an absentee ballot by mail. Requests must be received by the auditor’s office by 5 p.m. In-person early voting, however, will continue until Monday, Nov. 2. To be counted, a mail-in ballot must be postmarked by Monday, Nov. 2 and arrive at the auditor’s office by Monday, Nov. 9.
Saturday is also the final day to register to vote before Election Day. Because Iowa has same-day registration, people who go to the polls on Nov. 3 will be able to register that day as well.
To register to vote, a person must have one of the following forms of ID.
• Iowa non-driver ID card
• Out-of-state driver’s license or non-driver ID card
• U.S. passport
• U.S. military ID
• ID card issued by employer
• Student ID issued by Iowa high school or college
• Tribal ID
If the address on the ID doesn’t match the person’s current address, it can still be used to register, if the person brings one of the following as proof of residency.
• Residential lease
• Utility bill (including a cell phone bill)
• Bank statement
• Paycheck
• Government check or other government document
People with questions regarding how or where to vote can contact their county auditor’s office. The Johnson County Auditor’s Office can be reached at 319-356-6004, and the phone number of the Linn County Auditor’s Office is 319-892-5300.
