LET’S VOTE!
“There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter.” — Barack Obama
Am I Eligible to Vote?
To be eligible to vote in Iowa, you must be:
- 18 years of age or older
- A U.S. citizen
- A resident in the county where you are registered
Not yet 18? You may still be able to vote. If you will turn 18 on or before Election Day, you are eligible to vote in both the primary election and the general election — even if you are still 17 during the primary. Learn more about registering to vote.
MAKE A VOTING PLAN
Making a voting plan (and a backup plan) increases your chances of success!
STEPS
1. Check your voter registration status. If “active,” you are good to go.
Check Your Voter Registration Status
If you are registered to vote, you can check your voter registration status at the Iowa Secretary of State’s website.
If your voter registration status is marked as “active,” you are good to go. If your voter registration status is marked as “inactive,” you are okay, as long as you vote in the next general election. If your voter registration status is marked as something else, such as “incomplete” or “unconfirmed,” you will need to call the Iowa County Auditor’s Office at 319-642-3923 and find out what information you need to bring to change your status to “active.”
2. Decide how you are going to vote: The options are early in person, early by mail, and on Election Day. For more details, see the relevant sections below.
3. Decide when you are going to vote. For 2026, the primary election will be held on June 2nd and the general election will be held on November 3rd.
Important Dates for the 2026 June Primary
March 24: First day to request Absentee Ballots. Requests received before this date will be returned to the voter as required by law.
May 13: First day for in-person early voting.
May 13: First day Absentee Ballots may be sent out by the Auditor’s Office.
May 18: Deadline to request Absentee Ballots. Requests must be in the Auditor’s Office by 4:30 pm.
May 18: Voter pre-registration deadline. Registration forms must be in the Auditor’s Office by 4:30 pm. Same-day voter registration at the polls must be done after this date.
June 1: Last day for in-person early voting.
June 2: Election Day – Polls are open 7 am – 8 pm. If you are in line by 8 pm, you will be allowed to vote.
Important Dates for the 2026 November General Election
August 25: First day to request Absentee Ballots. Requests received before this date will be returned to the voter as required by law.
October 14: First day for in-person early voting.
October 14: First day Absentee Ballots may be sent out by the Auditor’s Office.
October 19: Deadline to request Absentee Ballots. Requests must be in the Auditor’s Office by 4:30 pm.
October 19: Voter pre-registration deadline. Registration forms must be in the Auditor’s Office by 4:30 pm. Same-day voter registration at the polls must be done after this date.
November 2: Last day for in-person early voting.
November 3: Election Day – Polls are open 7 am – 8 pm. If you are in line by 8 pm, you will be allowed to vote.
4. Know where you are going to vote: Before Election Day, see the “Voting Early in Person” section below for polling locations. On Election Day, you must vote at your precinct polling place. Find your polling place.
5. Find Your Sample Ballot. Sample ballots are posted about 40 days before an election. Visit your county auditor’s website Elections and Voting page to view or print yours. When available, a link to those sample ballots will be found on that page. It makes preparing to vote so much easier.
OPTION 1: VOTING EARLY IN PERSON
Why Voting Early in Person is Best!
If you can, we highly recommend voting early in person. Early voting starts 20 days before an election. By voting early, if there are any significant problems, you have the chance to fix them.
Questions about voting early? Call the Iowa County Auditor’s Office at 319-642-3923.
ID Required for Early Voting
If you are pre-registered, you can present one of the following:
- Iowa Driver’s License or Non-Operator ID – temporary paper license or ID accepted
- Iowa Voter Identification Card (with 4-digit PIN) – must be signed
- U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID
- U.S. Passport
- Tribal ID Card/Document – must be signed, with photo, not expired
- Student IDs can be used only if they have an expiration date.
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. This 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
What if I don’t have any of the IDs listed above? You can have someone sign an Attestation Form attesting to your identity or address. The Attestor must be a registered voter in your precinct and must show a valid ID.
Voting Early at the Auditor’s Office
PRIMARY ELECTION:
MAY 13 – JUN 1, 2026
MONDAY – FRIDAY, 8 am – 4:30 pm
Auditor’s Office
Iowa County Auditor
970 Court Ave
Marengo IA 52301
319-642-3923
Drive-Up Early Voting
During early voting at Auditor’s Office, they will send someone out to the car to help a voter who can’t come into the office. Call them in advance to let them know you are coming: 319-642-3923.
Special Hours
When available, special hours for early voting at the Auditor’s Office will be posted here.
GENERAL ELECTION:
OCT 14 – NOV 2, 2026
MONDAY – FRIDAY, 8am – 4:30pm
Auditor’s Office
Iowa County Auditor
970 Court Ave
Marengo IA 52301
319-642-3923
Drive-up Early Voting
During early voting at Auditor’s Office, they will send someone out to the car to help a voter that can’t come into the office. Call them in advance to let them know you are coming: 319-642-3923.
Special Hours
When available, special hours for early voting at the Auditor’s Office will be posted here.
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 at 319-642-3923. 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 and email 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 at 970 Court Avenue, Marengo, Iowa, 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.
We want all voters to be able to cast their ballot and have that vote counted!
Questions about voting early in person? Call the Iowa County Auditor’s Office at 319-642-3923.
Questions about voting early by mail? Call the Iowa County Auditor’s Office at 319-642-3923.
Also, see Voting by Mail for more information about potential problems when voting by mail and suggested solutions.
Step 1: 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.
Step 2: Submit Your Absentee Ballot Request Form
You may submit an Absentee Ballot Request Form anytime between 10 weeks and 15 days before Election Day.
For the 2026 June Primary
The first day that the Auditor’s Office will accept an Absentee Ballot Request Form is March 24. Request forms received before that date will be returned as required by law.
The deadline for submitting an Absentee Ballot Request Form is May 18. It must be received at the Auditor’s Office by 4:30 pm.
For the 2026 November Election
The first day that the Auditor’s Office will accept an Absentee Ballot Request Form is August 25. Request forms received before that date will be returned as required by law.
The deadline for submitting an Absentee Ballot Request Form is October 19. It must be received at the Auditor’s Office by 4:30 pm.
Step 3: Receive Your Absentee Ballot in the Mail
Your absentee ballot will be mailed to you.
For the 2026 June Primary
The first day that absentee ballots will be mailed from the Auditor’s Office is May 13. If you submitted your Absentee Ballot Request Form later than May 13, then your absentee ballot will be mailed to you shortly after your request is received and processed.
For the 2026 November Election
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.
Step 4: Return Your Absentee Ballot
Your absentee ballot must be received by the Auditor’s Office no later than 4:30 pm on Election Day!
Before Election Day, you can return your ballot by:
Mail – The return envelope for your absentee ballot will be stamped and addressed. Make sure the return envelope is signed and sealed properly before mailing to avoid being flagged.
Reminder: See Voting by Mail for more information about potential problems when voting by mail and suggested solutions.
Delivering to the Auditor’s Office – You or a family member may drop your ballot off at the desk during open hours up through the Monday before Election Day (not on Election Day itself). Ballots can also be deposited in the Ballot Drop Box if one is available. Ballots should not go in an after-hours slot used for the Auditor’s Office.
On Election Day:
You must bring your unmailed or damaged ballot to your precinct polling place and exchange it for a regular ballot.
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.
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 the Auditor’s Office at 970 Court Avenue, Marengo, Iowa, 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 ID.
We want all voters to be able to cast their ballot and have that ballot counted!
Questions about voting early by mail? Call the Iowa County Auditor’s Office at 319-642-3923.
OPTION 3: VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
PRIMARY ELECTION DAY:
TUESDAY, JUN 2, 2026
POLLS OPEN: 7 am – 8 pm
GENERAL ELECTION DAY:
TUESDAY, NOV 3, 2026
POLLS OPEN: 7 am – 8 pm
Questions about voting on Election Day? Call the Iowa County Auditor’s Office at 319-642-3923.
ID Requirements for Voting on Election Day
If you are pre-registered, you can present one of the following:
- Iowa Driver’s License or Iowa Non-Operator ID – temporary paper license or ID is accepted
- Iowa Voter Identification Card (with 4-digit PIN) – must be signed
- U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID
- U.S. Passport
- Tribal ID Card/Document – must be signed, with photo, not expired
- A student ID can be used only if it has an expiration date.
If you are registering same day, the ID being used cannot be expired. Furthermore, if your ID does not have your current address, then you will need proof of address. This 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
What if I don’t have any of the IDs listed above? You can have someone sign an Attestation Form attesting to your identity or address. The Attestor must be a registered voter in your precinct and must show a valid ID.
Where to Vote
On Election Day, vote at your precinct polling place (not at the Auditor’s Office).
ID is Required
See the information above on required ID. Proof of address may also be required if you are doing same-day voter registration.
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.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
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 the Auditor’s Office at 319-642-3923 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 come back later on Election Day, that is best; otherwise, be sure to provide sufficient ID at the Auditor’s Office before the deadline.
- 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 before the deadline.
- You are challenged for some other reason – Provide the relevant documentation at the Auditor’s Office before the deadline.
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 at 319-642-3923. 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.
Questions about voting on Election Day? Call the Iowa County Auditor’s Office at 319-642-3923.