Elections & Voting

Deadline

• Voters can pre-register up until 15 days before the general election.
• May 23, 2022 is the registration deadline for the 2022 primary election
• August 29, 2022 is the first day voters can request a absentee ballot through their local auditor's office. 
• October 24, 2022 is the deadline for in-person or mail-in registration for the general election.
• Pre-Registration Guidelines
• Election Calendar
• If not pre-registered to vote, Iowa offers election-day registration

Online registration

To use the online voter registration system you must have a current and valid Iowa driver’s license or non-operator identification card issued by the Iowa Department of Transportaion.

Online registration form

Mail-in registration

Printable forms 

Printed voter registration form should be mailed or returned to local county auditors office. 

Refer to the box below for information about ID requirements.

Choosing a political party   

You may choose a political party affiliation when you register. You are required to be registered with a political party to participate in its caucus or primary. Affiliation can be changed through updating registration information at local auditor's office and on the day these events are held.              

Updating registration      

To update registration after a move, name change, or to change political party affiliation, use either the print or online voter registration form.

More information on updating registration.

Cancelling registration

The county auditor office maintains local voter rolls. To remove someone from a voter roll, contact the your county auditor.

County Auditor/Commisioner of Elections

ID Requirements for Voting

Voters in Iowa are required to provide ID at the polls. Acceptable ID includes:

• Iowa driver's license or non-operator ID, OR
• U.S. Passport, U.S. Military ID, tribal ID, OR
• A voter registered in the precinct attesting to your identity. You and the attester will need to sign an oath. OR
• Voters who pre-register to vote and do not have an Iowa driver's license or non-operator ID, will be issued a free Voter ID card.   

Voters without acceptable ID or an attester on election day will be offered a provisional ballot and can provide the needed ID up until the county canvas of votes. 

More information on ID requirements

Where to get an ID

Iowa Department of Transportation

• Locations

Obtaining a Driver’s License or non-operator ID

• New license
• Transferring from another state

Absentee voting

Opening/closing dates

• Absentee ballots are provided by the county auditors beginning no earlier than 20 days before an election. Request for absentee ballots can be made 70 days prior to the election. 
• Requests for absentee ballots must be made by 5 p.m., 15 days before the election.  
• Voters can vote in person with an absentee ballot at their local election or county auditor office no earlier than 20 days before an election. When voting in-person, the ballot cannot be removed from the election office. 
• Absentee ballots must be received by election office at the close of polls on election day. 

Military voters and voters who reside outside the U.S.

• Military voters may request a absentee ballot to be delivered by mail, email or fax. To do so, contact your County Auditor to make arrangements. 
• Military voters residing outside the U.S. may return ballots by email, fax or mail. 
• Military voters residing within the U.S. will need to return their ballot by mail to local County Auditor.  
• Voters residing outside the U.S. must fill out a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and mail it to local County Auditor or email it to the Secretary of State at uocava@sos.iowa.gov.
• Overseas ballots must be received by the County Auditor by the close of the polls on election day in order to be counted.

More information on military voting.

More information on voting outside the U.S. 

Who is eligible to use an absentee ballot?

Any registered voter in Iowa may request an absentee ballot through the local county auditor.  

Request for for absentee ballot

Polling places and hours

• Use the Polling Place Locator, or the Iowa polling place locator to find your polling place for primary and general elections.
• Caucus locations will be determined by the Democratic and Republican parties.
• For a general election or primary, polls in Iowa are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Check with the County Auditor regarding voting hours for special elections.
• Time off to vote: Iowa voters are entitled to time off if they do not have three consecutive scheduled hours off during polling hours on election day.

Rides to the polls

Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:

• Transit agencies sometimes offer free bus rides on election day. Contact local agency
• Political parties sometimes arrange rides for voters. Contact the local county office. 

Help for voters with disabilities

• Voters can sign an affidavit allowing for receiving assistance in voting.
• If a voter cannot leave his or her car, two precinct officials, one from each party, will deliver ballot and election equipment outside of polling location. 
• Information on voting with disabilities is available from the Secretary of State 

Ballots

Where to get more inforomation on candidates:

• Sample ballots are typically available through the County Auditor or the local Commissioner of Elections. 
• State and federal primary lists will become available during the filing period starting on February 28, 2022
• State and federal officials with certificates of endorsement by political parties will be made available and updated by the Secretary of State after August 1, 2022.

Along with checking local media and party resources, the League of Women voters includes information provided by candidates.

Who are the candidates, and what else is on the ballot?

• Sample ballots are typically available through the County Auditor or the local Commissioner of Elections. 
• State and federal officials with certificates of endorsement by political parties will be made available and updated by the Secretary of State after August 1, 2022.

Important Dates

Primary Election day is June 7, 2022

Election Day is November 8, 2022

Dates for special elections can be held on any Tuesday except the four Tuesdays before and after the General and Primary elections. County Auditors are generally required to post dates 46 days prior to election. Approved special elections dates for 2022.

Who conducts elections?

• The Secretary of State is the statewide Commissioner of Elections and oversees statewide and local elections
• Caucuses are organized and conducted by individual political parties
• Local County Auditors maintains voter rolls for each municipality and prepare ballots and administer balloting for each municipality

Voter Bill of Rights

Iowa does not have a Voter Bill of Rights. Rights of suffrage for electors is included in Article II of the Constitution of the State of Iowa. These rights have been codified and legislature has amended them.  

Where to go with complaints about candidates or how elections are conducted

The Secretary of State serves as the State Commissioner of Elections. To report questionable activity related to elections or the voting process, there is a Voter Hotline (1-888-SOS-VOTE) and an online submission form.

Campaign finance

The Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board maintains a database that provides access to a variety of state and local campaign data, including candidate's election committee and Political Action Committee campaign finance filings. 

How to contact your elected officials:

Find your federally elected officials

Find your elected state officials

For local and county elected officials, local county auditor/commissioner of elections office should maintain this information