Early voting in the Nov. 5 election began on Wednesday morning, as county auditors across Iowa began mailing out absentee ballots requested by voters, and in-person voting started in the auditors’ offices.
Voters who want a mail-in absentee ballot have a few more days to send a completed ballot request form to their auditor’s office. Those forms must be received by the auditor’s office by the end of day on Monday, Oct. 21. That’s also the final chance to register to vote before Election Day. Same-day registration will be available at all polling places on Election Day.
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
Early voting in Polk County
Early in-person voting in Polk County will take place in the county’s Election Office in Des Moines (120 2nd Ave) on weekdays through Monday, Nov. 4. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office will also be open for early voting on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Polk County will open satellite voting locations for early in-person voting starting on Thursday. This week, there will be five satellite voting locations in the county. Next week, there will be eight locations open from Tuesday through Saturday.
Early voting in Story County
People wanting to vote early can do so at the Story County Auditor’s Office in the County Administration Building in Nevada (900 6th St) on weekdays through Monday, Nov. 4. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The auditor’s office will also be open on the two Saturdays before the election, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2. Saturday hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There will also be two satellite voting locations. The Ames Public Library (515 Douglas Ave) will host early voting on the three Saturdays before Election Day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Thursday, Oct. 24 and Friday, Oct. 25, voters wanting to cast an early ballot will be able to do so from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Scheman Building on the campus of Iowa State University (1805 Center Dr).
