What is an absentee ballot and how do I get one this year?

A step-by-step guide to getting and using an absentee ballot in Iowa.

If you want to vote, but you don’t have the time or ability to go to your polling location for whatever reason, an easy solution is to get an absentee ballot. In Iowa, the process involves a few steps, but let’s start with a quick explanation.

What is an absentee ballot?

Absentee ballots are just like the ballots you fill out in voting booths at your polling location, but you can fill it out from the comfort of your own home. This method of voting is more accessible for people who can’t get to their polling location on Election Day for whatever reason (college students, overseas service members, people with disabilities, the elderly, etc.). In fact, in Iowa, you don’t have to provide a reason for requesting an absentee ballot, or prove that you need it.

If you request it, it will come.

How to get an absentee ballot

To vote absentee, the first step is to download an absentee ballot request form from the Iowa Secretary of State’s website. Next, you fill that out and mail it to your county auditor (click here to check who that is).

This request has to make it to the auditor 15 days before the election (Oct. 21 this year), so it’s a good idea to download and send the request as early as possible. Note that you can’t request an absentee ballot before Aug. 27 this year (70 days before the election generally).

When the auditor receives the request, they’ll send out the actual ballot along with instructions for how to fill it out and what to do when you’re done. To have your vote counted, you have to follow these instructions exactly.

What’s Next

When you finish, you can mail your absentee ballot back to the auditor or deliver it to your auditor’s office in person. Just note that if you plan to drop it off in person, you have to do it before Election Day (Nov. 5) because you’ll have to trade in your absentee ballot and vote in person if you show up on Election Day.

If you’re mailing your ballot back, make sure you do it as soon as possible because the ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to count.

When you’ve sent it, you can track your ballot’s progress on the secretary of state’s website here.