Election Day Registration
Voting Booth
As of January 1, 2008, Iowa law allows you to register to vote on Election Day at the polling place for the precinct you currently live in. After showing proper identification you may register and vote at the precinct the same day.
If you register to vote on Election Day, you will be required to show proof of residence and identity. Deadline to register early to vote for September 13, 2011, School Election is Friday, September 2nd at 5 P.M. The Auditor’s office will be open that day from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. If you register before the voter registration deadline, you will not be required to show proof of residence and identity. The voter deadline is 10 days before the primary and general elections and 11 days before all other elections.
You can register to vote at the polls on Election Day. You will be required to show proof of residency and proof of identity. The best form of ID is a valid Iowa driver’s license with current address. If your Iowa driver’s license has an old address on it, you can use the license as proof of identity and use one of the following as proof of residency if it contains your current address:
- Residence lease
- Property tax statement
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Paycheck
- Government check
- Other government document
If you do not have an Iowa driver’s license, you can provide one of the following as proof of identity if it contains your current photo. It must be valid and contain an expiration date:
- An out-of-state driver’s license
- Non-driver identification card
- US passport
- US military ID
- ID card issued by employer
- Student ID issued by Iowa high school or college
If you do not have proof of residence and identity, a registered voter in the precinct may attest to the fact that you are who you say you are and that you live in the precinct you say you live in.
If you have a registered voter in the precinct attest to your residency and identity, you both will be required to sign an oath. Falsely attesting or being attested for is a class “D” felony.
If you do not have proof of residence or identity and do not have anyone who can attest to your residence and identity, you will be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. The special board will meet Wednesday, September 14th, to consider provisional ballots.
Requiring proof of residence and identity makes it hard for someone to be able to register to vote and vote in more than one precinct on Election Day.
After the election, all voters who registered to vote through election day registration will be sent a notice by mail. If this notice is returned as undeliverable, a forwardable notice will be mailed to the voter. If the county auditor does not receive a response to that notice within 14 days, the auditor will notify the county attorney and secretary of state for investigation and possible
