In the last presidential election four years ago, voters using mail-in absentee ballots just had to make sure their ballots were in the mail and postmarked by Election Day. As long as those ballots were received by the auditor’s office in the county where the voter lives by the end of the Monday following Election Day. That changed in 2021.
That year, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a series of new restrictions on voting. Now, mail-in absentee ballots must be received in an auditor’s office by the time polls close on Election Day. One of the other restrictions in the bill Reynolds signed cut the time voters have to cast a ballot on Election Day by an hour, so polls now close 8 p.m.
Voters who still haven’t mailed their absentee ballot and are uncertain if it will reach the auditor’s office by that deadline can return it to the auditor’s office themselves, although restrictions in the 2021 bill also changed how that can be done. Auditor’s offices are now restricted to having one dropbox, and that dropbox must be adjacent to the auditor’s office. And now only a member of a voter’s immediate family, a member of their household or an authorized election official could put another’s sealed ballot envelope in a dropbox.
Voters who have mailed their absentee ballots and decide to vote in person instead, can take their to an early voting site or to their designated polling place on Election Day, surrender the ballot to an election official who will then give them a ballot with which they be able to vote.
Early voting in this year’s general election continues through the end of day on Monday. In some counties, auditor’s offices will be added weekend hours to accommodate voters, and there will also be a few satellite locations open. Same-day voter registration is available at all early voting sites and at your polling place on Election Day.
Johnson County
Early in-person early voting continues at the auditor’s office in the Johnson County Administration Building in Iowa City (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). Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Monday.
Both will also be open this weekend. On Saturday, the hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, the hours are noon to 5 p.m.
Johnson County voters will also be able to cast an early ballot at the North Liberty Community Library (520 W Cherry St) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Linn County
The Linn County Auditor’s Office in the Jean Oxley Public Service Center in Cedar Rapids (935 2nd St SW) will be open for early voting on Friday and Monday. On Friday, the office will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Monday, there will be an extra 30 minutes of early voting time, because the office will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The satellite voting location at Lindale Mall (4444 1st Ave NE) will be open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the location will be open from noon to 5 p.m.
Hoover Elementary in Cedar Rapids (4141 Johnson Ave NW) will open for early voters after the school day ends on Friday. Any Linn County voter will be vote early there from 4:15 to 10:15 p.m.
Polk County
Early voters in Polk County will be able to cast a ballot at the county’s Election Office in Des Moines (120 2nd Ave) on Friday and Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office will also be open for early voting this Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Story County
The Story County Auditor’s Office in the County Administration Building in Nevada (900 6th St) will have early voting on Friday and Monday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
There will also be a satellite voting location at the Ames Public Library (515 Douglas Ave) open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Scott County
Scott County voters will be able to vote early at the Administration Center in Davenport (600 W 4th St) on Friday and Monday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The center will also be open for early voting on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There will also be four satellite voting locations open in Scott County on Friday.
Davenport
• Davenport Public Library (6000 Eastern Ave) Davenport, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Davenport Public Library (3000 N Fairmount St), 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Bettendorf
• Bettendorf Public Library (2950 Learning Center Campus), 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Eldridge
• Scott County Library (200 N 6th St), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Black Hawk County
Black Hawk County voters who want to cast an early ballot can do so by going to the conference room in the basement of the Black Hawk County Courthouse in Waterloo (316 E 5th St) on Friday, Saturday or Monday.
Early voting hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
Dubuque County
Early in-person voting is available at the Dubuque County Elections Office (880 Central Ave, Dubuque) through the end of day on Monday. Hours vary by day.
• Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
• Monday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
On Friday, a satellite voting location at the Worthington Community Center (216 1st Ave W), open from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Another satellite voting location will be open on Saturday at Asbury City Hall (5290 Grand Meadow Dr) from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Since 2017, it has been necessary to produce a state-approved form of ID to exercise your right to vote. The following forms of ID are considered acceptable for both voting and registering 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 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
Election Day polling location for the 2024 general election will open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
