Let’s Vote Iowa 2026
Am I Eligible to Vote in Iowa?
You can vote in Iowa if you are:
- 18 years of age or older
- A U.S. citizen
- A resident in the county where you are registered
Not registered yet?
Register by Oct 19.
- After Oct 19 you can still register when you vote.
- Bring ID and proof of address.
- Learn more about registering to vote.
Choose how you want to vote
Click on an option below to learn more.
VOTE EARLY IN PERSON
OCT 14 – NOV 2
VOTE BY MAIL
REQUEST BY OCT 19
VOTE ON ELECTION DAY
TUESDAY, NOV 3, 2026
Make your
voting plan
Check your voter registration status.
Check your voter registration status at the Iowa Secretary of State’s website.
Choose how you are going to vote.
Early in person, early by mail, and on Election Day.
Know where you are going to vote.
Check dates, locations, and what you need.
VOTE EARLY IN PERSON
OCT 14 – NOV 2
When & where to vote early in person
- Choose your county below to see hours and locations.
- Vote early Oct 14 – Nov 2
What you need to bring
- Accepted ID (see details)
- Accommodations are available
ID REQUIRED FOR EARLY VOTING
If you are pre-registered, you can present one of the following forms of ID:
- Iowa driver’s license
– not expired more than 90 days
– temporary paper license or ID accepted
– a photograph of your ID is not accepted - Non-operator ID
– not expired more than 90 days
– temporary paper license or ID accepted - Iowa Voter Identification Card
– with 4-digit PIN & must be signed - U.S. Military ID
– not expired - Veteran ID
– not expired -
U.S. Passport
– not expired - Out of state driver’s license or non-operator ID
– must be current - Tribal ID Card/Document
– must be signed, with photo, not expired - Student IDs
– can only be used if they have an expiration date
ID REQUIRED TO REGISTER AND VOTE EARLY THE SAME DAY
To register and vote on the same day during early voting, bring one of the following forms of ID.
- Iowa driver’s license
– not expired
– temporary paper license or ID accepted - Non-Operator ID
– not expired
– temporary paper license or ID accepted - U.S. Military ID
– not expired - Veteran ID
– not expired - U.S. Passport
– not expired - Out of state driver’s license or non-operator ID
– must be current - Tribal ID Card/Document
– not expired
– must be signed, with photo - Student IDs
– can only be used if they have an expiration date - Attestor
Voters who are unable to show ID (or prove residence if required) may have their identities attested to by another registered voter in the precinct or have the right to cast a provisional ballot. Election Day Registrant attesters must also show ID.
If you are registering same day and the picture ID being used does not have your current address, then you will need proof of address.
These must include your name and current address, must be current within 45 days, and may be in electronic or paper format. Examples:
- Residential lease, including a student dorm contract
- Utility bill, including a cell phone bill
- Bank statement
- Paycheck
- Government check or other government document
HELP AND SPECIAL SITUATIONS
ACCOMMODATIONS
Several accommodations are available when voting in person.
- Curbside voting – A parking area outside the polling place is available for curbside voting. Call your Auditor’s Office and a bipartisan team will come out and help you cast your ballot.
- Machines are available for the sight and hearing impaired. These machines create a voted ballot that is then printed out for placing in an envelope (early voting) or for scanning (voting on Election Day).
- You can bring someone along and tell the poll workers that they will help you vote.
- You can request a bipartisan team of poll workers to help you.
CURING YOUR EARLY-VOTING BALLOT
There are a number of reasons your early voting ballot might be flagged. You must fix (cure) the problem to make sure your vote gets counted. The Auditor’s Office will contact you to let you know you need to cure your ballot. It’s important to give the Auditor’s Office good contact information, such as an email address and phone number, and to check your mail for any possible notices.
Common problems:
- Your return envelope was not signed.
- Your return envelope was not sealed properly or was damaged.
Before Election Day: You must go to the Auditor’s Office to cure your ballot.
On Election Day: If your ballot has not been cured by Election Day, you must go to your precinct polling place. Find your precinct polling place. The poll workers can cancel your early ballot and give you a regular ballot to vote. Be sure to bring your ID.
We want all voters to be able to cast their ballot and have that vote counted!
VOTE EARLY BY MAIL
REQUEST BY OCT 19
Get an absentee ballot request form
- An Absentee Ballot Request Form can be found HERE.
- You can also go to your county Auditor’s Office during business hours and fill out a form there.
Submit your absentee ballot request form
- The deadline for submitting an Absentee Ballot Request Form is October 19, 2026. It must be received at the Auditor’s Office by close of business day.
- See special circumstances below for voters who are hospitalized or in a care facility.
Receive your absentee ballot in the mail
- The first day that absentee ballots will be mailed from the Auditor’s Office is October 14.
- If you submitted your Absentee Ballot Request Form later than October 14, then your absentee ballot will be mailed to you shortly after your request is received and processed.
Return Your absentee ballot
Your voted absentee ballot must be received by the Auditor’s Office no later than closing time on Election Day.
Mail your ballot
The return envelope for your absentee ballot is self-addressed and postage paid. Make sure the return envelope is signed and sealed properly before mailing to avoid being flagged.
Delivering to the Auditor’s Office
You or a family member may drop your voted absentee ballot off at the Auditor’s Office up until 8 pm on Election Day.
Some counties also have a ballot drop box outside the Auditor’s Office. Call your Auditor’s Office to ask. Ballots should not go in any after-hours slots used for the Auditor’s Office.
On Election Day:
You must bring your unvoted or damaged ballot to your precinct polling place and exchange it for a regular ballot. Find your precinct polling place.
If you never received or have lost your ballot
Go to your polling place and report that to a poll worker. They will check with the Auditor’s Office to make sure your ballot has not been voted and will then let you vote a regular ballot.
Voters Who Are Hospitalized or in a Care Facility
There are processes by which the auditor’s office helps voters who are hospitalized or in a care facility cast an absentee ballot. The three circumstances for this are (1) the voter submits an absentee ballot request form before the deadline, (2) the voter becomes hospitalized or a resident of a care facility after the absentee ballot request form deadline, and (3) the voter becomes hospitalized or a temporary care facility resident in another county. These processes are briefly described below.
Submitting an absentee ballot request form before the deadline
- The voter or someone on the voter’s behalf must submit an Absentee Ballot Request Form to the county Auditor’s Office by close of business day on the Monday before Election Day.
- The voter’s ballot will be carried to the hospital or care facility by election officials who will return the completed ballot to the Auditor’s office.
Hospitalized or in a care facility after the absentee ballot request form deadline
- The voter can contact their county Auditor’s Office up until 4 p.m. on Election Day to request an absentee ballot.
- The voters Absentee Ballot Request Form and absentee ballot will be carried to the hospital or care facility by election officials who will return the completed form and ballot to the Auditor’s office
Hospitalized or in a temporary care facility in another county
- The voter can contact their county Auditor’s Office up until 4 pm on Election Day to request an absentee ballot.
- In this case, the voter will have to designate someone to collect the voter’s Absentee Ballot Request Form and absentee ballot from the Auditor’s Office and take them to the voter.
- The designated person must then return the completed form and the voted ballot to the Auditor’s Office by 8 pm on Election Day.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Curing Your Absentee Ballot
There are a number of reasons your Absentee ballot might be flagged. You must fix (cure) the problem to make sure your vote gets counted. The Auditor’s Office will contact you to let you know you need to cure your ballot. It’s important to give the Auditor’s Office good contact information, such as an email address and phone number, and to check your mail and email for any notices.
Common problems:
- The envelope with your ballot was not signed
- The envelope with your ballot was not sealed properly or was damaged
Before Election Day: You must go to your Auditor’s Office to fix the problem. Bring your ID in case you have to cast another ballot.
On Election Day: If your ballot has not been cured by Election Day, you must go to your precinct polling place. Find your polling place. The poll workers can cancel your absentee ballot and give you a regular ballot to vote. Be sure to bring your voter ID.
The deadline for curing an Absentee ballot is 8 pm on Election Day.
We want all voters to be able to cast their ballot and have that ballot counted!
VOTE ON ELECTION DAY
TUESDAY, NOV 3, 2026
POLLS OPEN 7 am – 8 pm
Where to vote
- On Election Day, you must vote at your precinct polling place.
- The Auditor’s office will be closed for voting.
- Find your precinct polling place>
When to vote
- Polls open at 7 am and close at 8 pm.
- If you are in line by 8 pm, you will be allowed to vote.
ID is required
-
Learn what ID is accepted.
-
Bring proof of address if you are doing same-day voter registration.
-
See details below.
ID REQUIRED FOR VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
If you are pre-registered, you can present one of the following forms of ID:
- Iowa driver’s license
– not expired more than 90 days
– temporary paper license or ID accepted
– a photograph of your ID is not accepted - Non-operator ID
– not expired more than 90 days
– temporary paper license or ID accepted - Iowa Voter Identification Card
– with 4-digit PIN & must be signed - U.S. Military ID
– not expired - Veteran ID
– not expired -
U.S. Passport
– not expired - Out of state driver’s license or non-operator ID
– must be current - Tribal ID Card/Document
– must be signed, with photo, not expired - Student IDs
– can only be used if they have an expiration date
ID REQUIRED TO REGISTER AND VOTE THE SAME DAY
If you want to register to vote on election day, you will need one of the following forms of ID.
- Iowa driver’s license
– not expired
– temporary paper license or ID accepted
– a photograph of your ID is not accepted - Non-Operator ID
– not expired
– temporary paper license or ID accepted - U.S. Military ID
– not expired - Veteran ID
– not expired - U.S. Passport
– not expired - Out of state driver’s license or non-operator ID
– must be current - Tribal ID Card/Document
– not expired
– must be signed, with photo - Student IDs
– can only be used if they have an expiration date - Attestor
Voters who are unable to show ID (or prove residence if required) may have their identities attested to by another registered voter in the same precinct or have the right to cast a provisional ballot. Election Day Registrant attesters must also show ID.
If you are registering same day and the picture ID being used does not have your current address, then you will need proof of address.
These must include your name and current address, must be current within 45 days, and may be in electronic or paper format.
Examples:
- Residential lease, including a student dorm contract
- Utility bill, including a cell phone bill
- Bank statement
- Paycheck
- Government check or other government document
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Accommodations
Several accommodations are available when voting in person.
- Drive-up (curbside) voting – A parking area outside the polling place is available for curbside voting. Call the Auditor’s Office when you arrive and a bipartisan team will come out and help you cast your ballot.
- Machines are available for the sight and hearing impaired. These machines create a voted ballot that is then printed out for placing in an envelope (early voting) or for scanning (voting on Election Day).
- You can bring someone along and tell the poll workers that they will help you vote.
- You can request a bipartisan team of poll workers to help you.
Provisional Ballots
If voting on Election Day and you are in the wrong precinct, do not vote a provisional ballot! It will be rejected. Instead, ask a poll worker or call your county Auditor’s Office to find your correct precinct, and go to that precinct to vote. You must be in line by 8 pm to vote.
Don’t vote a provisional ballot unless there is no alternative. If you do, you must provide the Auditor’s Office with the required documentation before noon on the Monday after Election Day to fix the problem. If you don’t fix the problem, your ballot will be rejected.
There are several reasons you may be asked to vote a provisional ballot:
- You don’t have sufficient ID – If you can get that and can come back later, that is best; otherwise, be sure to provide sufficient ID at the Auditor’s Office.
- You are challenged as being ineligible for not having your rights restored as a convicted felon – If you have finished your parole, you are eligible to vote; if you vote a provisional ballot, provide proof of completion of parole at the Auditor’s Office.
- You are challenged for some other reason – Provide the relevant documentation at the Auditor’s Office.