Election Date
Registration Deadline
USPS recommends mailing your ballot no later than October 27.
Source: USPS.com
Online Registration
Ahead of Election Day, make sure you’re registered to vote and your voting record is up to date. Check out state resources here.
Registered voters may request an absentee ballot to be sent to them by mail.
Can you vote early in this state?
Iowa offers in-person absentee voting. You may cast an absentee ballot in person at your county auditor's office before any election. You must vote your absentee ballot at the auditor's office. You cannot take the ballot home with you. For primary and general elections, absentee ballots will be available no earlier than 29 days (Oct 5) before the election at the county auditors' offices.
Can you register on Election Day?
You may register and vote on Election Day by going to the correct polling place for your current address.
Is an ID required to vote?
A voter without one of the listed forms of ID may have the voter’s identity attested to by another registered voter in the precinct or may prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents. Voters without the necessary ID or an attester will be offered a provisional ballot and can provide ID up until the time of the county canvass of votes (Monday after election day for primary and general elections).
Make sure you're ready on Election Day with the appropriate forms of identification. Acceptable forms of ID are listed here.
Data source - sos.iowa.gov
US Passport
US Military ID or Veteran’s ID
Iowa Driver’s License or Non-operator ID
Iowa Voter ID Card
Tribal ID/Document
Additional Voting Resources
Voter eligibility Voting accessibility Military/overseas voting Additional rules & requirementsVoting resources regarding Covid-19 are developing.
What you should know about what's happening with the 2020 election and how it all works.
This guide is part of Citizen by CNN, a civic engagement platform that convenes people around issues that matter to them, helping them stay informed and engaged in the political process.
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