(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch
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Officials recommend mailing absentee ballots by Thursday to ensure votes count • Iowa Capital Dispatch [1]
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Date: 2024-10-31
Iowa voters should mail in their absentee ballots by Thursday to ensure their ballots reach local county auditors’ offices by Election Day, officials have stated.
While the recommendation comes to ensure that absentee ballots reach their destination without any problems, there’s not a state deadline for mailing ballots. Absentee ballots must be returned to a voter’s local county auditor’s office by the time polls close on Election Day — this year, by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5 — to be valid.
In a statement as early voting began, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said Iowans should return absentee ballots as soon as possible.
“Once you do receive your absentee ballot, it’s important to fill it out and return it quickly,” Pate said in the statement. “We recommend accounting for around 5 days in the mail to be safe and avoid any postal delays.”
Voters who have mailed in their absentee ballots have the option to track whether it has been received through the Iowa Secretary of State’s website.
How do I return my ballot if it’s too late for the mail?
If voters are not able to send their ballots by mail Thursday, there are alternatives available to ensure their votes are counted. Absentee ballots can also be returned to county auditor’s offices in person by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
There are some regulations in Iowa restricting who can return absentee ballots for a voter. A voter is allowed to designate someone to return an absentee ballot in their stead if they are an immediate family member or member of the household; voters with disabilities are also able to designate someone outside of their family or household to return their ballot as needed. Rules on how to designate another person to return an absentee ballot are included in official instructions mailed to voters with an absentee ballot, the secretary of state’s website states.
Can I vote in person instead?
Iowans who requested an absentee ballot also have the option to vote in person on Election Day. In these scenarios, the voters can cast a regular ballot if they bring the absentee ballot with them to their precinct polling place and surrender it. People who requested an absentee ballot but cannot return it have the option to vote using a provisional ballot on Election Day.
A voter who has filled out their absentee ballot and wants to return it on Election Day must deliver the ballot to their county auditor’s office — it cannot be delivered to a voter’s polling place on Election Day, the secretary of state’s website states.
The deadline to request absentee ballots has passed — under Iowa law, Oct. 21 was the final day to place a request for an absentee ballot to be mailed. Iowans who missed this deadline still have the ability to vote early by going to their county auditor’s office and other designated early voting locations, as listed on the local officials’ websites. Additionally, Iowa voters have the ability to participate in voting on Election Day.
What if I’m not registered to vote?
Iowa allows same-day voter registration. Voters must provide identification using IDs like a driver’s license, non-operator ID or U.S. passport as well as proof of residence through documents like a residential lease, utility bill or paycheck listing their current address to register to vote.
Do I need to show ID to vote?
Iowans already registered are also required to show ID to participate in the election. People who do not bring a valid form of identification can still vote if their identity is attested for by another registered voter at the precinct. Individuals without valid forms of ID or an attester can vote using a provisional ballot and provide proof of identity by the Monday after Election Day for their vote to be counted.
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https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/10/31/officials-recommend-mailing-absentee-ballots-by-thursday-to-ensure-votes-count/
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