Learn about all the options to vote in Iowa to make a plan to vote that works for you!
Iowa Elections Office Phone Number: (515) 281-0145
Whether you are registering to vote for the first time, or need to update your address, name or party affiliation - we've got you covered!
Not sure if you are eligible to vote due to a felony conviction?
Click here to learn more.
Absolutely! You can check your voter registration online on Iowa’s elections office website here.
It can take several weeks. Most states send out voter registration cards within 5 to 7 weeks after receiving the registration. If you do not receive a registration card in the mail, contact your state election office to confirm you are registered. Find your state’s contact information in our How to Vote in Your State section on this page! In any event, you should verify your registration a week prior to the voter registration deadline in your state in case you need to fill out a new registration form or correct your form.
Elections take place all the time throughout the year, and odds are, you probably have an election coming up in your state! In addition to the presidential election and midterm elections, you have statewide, countywide and municipal elections that you can make your voice heard in. Make sure you know when your upcoming elections are so that you don’t miss a single one! Check out when your next election is here.
Your state provides an online ballot tracking system. You can track your ballot here!
YES you are able to register to vote at your student address. You should provide your official campus mailing address as well as the actual physical address of your on or off campus residence when registering to vote. You must have some sort of proof of address and residency that can be presented at your polling place (mail, a student ID, etc.). For more information, we suggest visiting your state’s elections office website. Remember: you can only register to vote and vote in one place, whether that is your student address or your home address!
YES, unhoused voters can register to vote and use their voice in Iowa’s elections. Unhoused voters or voters without a permanent address may list a shelter address, street corner, or park as their address. For more information on voting while unhoused, visit our friends at the National Coalition for the Homeless.
YES. In this case you must register at the last address you had before you left the USA, or at the address to which you will return to when returning to the USA (you must present some indication of a present intent to return and live there – e.g. vehicle registration, driver’s license, property ownership, family, etc). If you have never had a permanent address in the United States but are a citizen you are allowed to register at an address you plan on moving to or an address where you currently have family living. Access more information on voting overseas here.
You may call the voting rights hotline at 866 687-8683, if informing another poll worker isn’t successful. They have lawyers ready to help you. Additionally, you can call the civil rights division of the U.S Department of Justice.
You can also find Iowa’s elections office here and contact them by phone at 515-281-0145.
Request and track
Notice: Mail-in voting is a convenient and safe way to vote, but your ballot might not count if it’s submitted late or with errors. So follow the directions below on how to vote early or absentee and make your vote count in Iowa.
Voting by mail is a two step process in Iowa.
Step 1: Request your ballot NOW. The deadline for your application to be received by mail or in person is 15 days before Election Day.
Step 2: Complete and return your ballot ASAP.
Remember to sign where indicated before returning your ballot.
After you complete your ballot, be sure to sign the affidavit on the back of the return envelope.
Double check to make sure you signed the affidavit on the envelope! If you forget to sign your envelope your ballot may be tossed and not count.
If you return your ballot by mail, your postage is prepaid.
You can also drop off your ballot in person at your local elections office, or drop box.
A member of your immediate family, someone in your household, or your caretaker may return your absentee ballot.
Track your ballot by clicking here.
If you would like to vote in person, return your unused ballot to your polling site and request an in person ballot on Election Day. If you do not bring your ballot, you may be asked to use a provisional ballot. This is better than not voting, but may not be counted.
Iowa does offer voters a chance to address challenges to their ballot.
Your state has a cure period, which means you can “cure” a challenge to the signature on your ballot if it was done incorrectly. Your local elections office is required to contact you and give you options to remedy your ballot.
You may get a call from a number you do not recognize with a notification that you need to cure your ballot. Be sure to pick so you don’t miss your chance to make sure your vote is counted.
Your commissioner will notify you within 24 hours that your ballot needs to be cured. You may cure your ballot until the day before Election Day, or vote at your precinct polling place on Election Day.
Registered voters in Iowa must show ID at the polls. Valid forms of identification include;
You can also prove your identity through an out-of-state license, employee card or student ID card. Similarly, you can prove your residence through lease, utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check. Finally, another voter may attest to your identity as an Iowa voter.
Enter your address below to see what you can expect on Election Day.
Your state automatically registers people to vote at the address on their drivers license or other state issued ID card. If you have moved but have not updated your ID with your new address, changed your name or want to add a political party selection, you must update your voter registration. Click here to check to see if you are registered to vote, and update your registration if needed.
You can register to vote and cast your ballot on Election Day at your polling place or local elections office. Bring a valid ID and proof of residence with you.
Dates and hours vary by county. Contact your Local Election Office for more information.
To vote in person absentee, go to your county auditor's office or a satellite voting location and request, fill out, and return your ballot while there.
Some states have laws that specifically allow citizens to preregister at a certain age while others allow registration as long as you’re 18 by the next election. Preregistration means you’ll be automatically registered to vote on your 18th birthday without taking any additional steps.
In Iowa, you can preregister to vote if you are 17. Register to vote today!
In Iowa, you can preregister to vote if you are 18 by the next election. Register to vote today!
Some states even let you vote in their primaries at 17 if you’ll be 18 by the general election so you can participate in the whole process!
You can vote in the Iowa primaries if you are 18 by the next election.
