Absentee Voting FAQs
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How do I request an absentee ballot?

Who may vote an absentee ballot?

When can I apply for an absentee ballot?

When are ballots sent out?

Can I sign up to automatically get an absentee ballot for every election?

I am in the military and/or living overseas. How can I vote absentee?

I am a college/graduate student. Where should I get my absentee ballot?

I have moved. Can I request a ballot? Which address should I use?

Can I request a ballot by email or fax?

Can I request an absentee ballot for someone else?

Can I pick up an absentee ballot for someone else?

Can I take a ballot home with me?

If I lose my absentee ballot, can I get another one?

How do I return my absentee ballot?

Can I return my ballot by fax?

Does the ballot have to be returned by mail?

Can I give my voted absentee ballot to someone else to return for me?

When must I return the voted ballot?

If I request an absentee ballot, can I change my mind and still vote at my regular polling place?

How are absentee ballots counted?

What's this box with "Serial Number" on my affidavit envelope? There is no serial number in the box. Do I need to fill this in?



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How do I request an absentee ballot?


To request an absentee ballot, print out the Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form, fill it out and mail it to the Auditor's Office.

Story County Auditor's Office

900 6th St.

Nevada, IA 50201




Upon receiving the request and when ballots are available, an absentee ballot and voting instructions will be mailed to you.




If you do not having printer capability or access to the internet, you may call the Auditor's Office to have a request form mailed to you. (515) 382-7217.





In lieu of the Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form, you may submit a written request for an absentee ballot on a piece of paper no smaller than 3x5 inches. The request must contain the following required information:

Name
Date of Birth
Address (this must be a street address, not a PO Box)
Mailing Address for the Absentee Ballot (if different from Story County voting address)
Political Party Affiliation (Primary Election only)
Name and Date of Election (e.g., Primary Election, June 8, 2010)
Signature and Date

For mailed ballots, completed forms must be returned to the Auditor's Office by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the election.

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Who may vote an absentee ballot?


Any registered voter may vote early for any reason in any election. There are two ways to vote early:

In Person: Once ballots become available, you may vote in the Auditor's Office during business hours, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.



Additional in person voting opportunities are available the two Saturdays preceding Primary and General elections.



Additional opportunities for early voting may be provided at satellite stations. Satellite voting is called at the discretion of the Auditor or by petition of citizens.



The deadline to vote absentee in person is 5:00 p.m. the Monday before an election.



By Mail: To vote by mail, send a signed request form or a written request for an absentee ballot with all the required information to the Auditor's Office.


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When can I apply for an absentee ballot?


You can request an absentee ballot for an election at any time. However, ballots will not be mailed until they are available.



The deadline to request that a ballot be mailed to you is 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before an election



You may still vote early in person at the Auditor's Office until 5:00 p.m. on the Monday before an election



If you are voting by mail, your ballot must be postmarked the day before the election OR returned in person to the Auditor's Office by the close of polls on Election Day.


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When are ballots sent out?


By law, ballots must be ready forty (40) days before Primary and General elections. The law does not specify when ballots must be ready for other types of elections.



As soon as ballots are available, they are sent to everyone who has requested a ballot up to that point. Requests that are received after ballots are available are processed and sent out within the next business day.



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Can I sign up to automatically get an absentee ballot for every election?


In Iowa, you must request an absentee ballot in writing for each election. The only exception is for members of the military or voters living outside the United States. Overseas citizens and military personnel may complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and receive ballots for all federal elections during a calendar year, unless the voter requests that ballots be sent for all elections.


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I am in the military and/or living overseas. How can I vote absentee?


The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) makes it easier for military personnel and overseas citizens to participate in elections. The voter completes a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) form to receive ballots.



The FPCA serves as both a voter registration application and an absentee ballot request application.



The voter will be mailed absentee ballots for all federal elections during a calendar year, unless the voter states s/he wants ballots for a specified time frame or only for a particular election.



If the voter's address changes during the calendar year, the voter needs to complete and submit a new FPCA form.



The FPCA form, as well as additional information for UOCAVA citizens is available at the Federal Voting Assistance Program website.


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I am a college/graduate student. Where should I get my absentee ballot?


In Iowa, students have the option to vote either at home or in their college town. For more information about student options, go to the Secretary of State's College Voter Information page.


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I have moved. Can I request a ballot? Which address should I use?


If you are currently a registered voter and you moved within Story County, fill out the absentee request form with your new address. This allows us to update your voter registration with your new address.



If you are a new registrant in Story County, complete both a voter registration form and an absentee ballot request and submit them to the Auditor's Office.


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Can I request a ballot by email or fax?


Yes, you may fax or email a scanned copy of a completed request form. Fax to (515) 382-7221 or email . Requests must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before an election.



However, in order for your vote to be counted, you must mail us the original signed request. The original request document must be postmarked by the Friday before Election Day and must be received by the Friday following most elections. If the canvass by the Board of Supervisors is held during the week of the election, the time of the canvass is the deadline for receipt of the original signed request. [IA 721 - 21.2(2)]


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Can I request an absentee ballot for someone else?


You may pick up a request form for someone, have them sign it, and bring or send the form back to our office.



A person who has been designated to have power of attorney (POA) by a registered voter does not have the authority to request or to cast an absentee ballot on behalf of the registered voter.


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Can I pick up an absentee ballot for someone else?


Again, you may pick up a request form for someone else, but we must mail the ballot directly to that voter. You may mail multiple requests in the same envelope.



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Can I take a ballot home with me?


No. Iowa law does not allow us to give you a ballot to take home. You can either vote in our office or we can mail you your ballot.

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If I lose my absentee ballot, can I get another one?


A voter who has lost an absentee ballot or whose ballot did not arrive in the mail may request a replacement ballot by phone or in writing. A replacement ballot will be sent to the voter with two (2) copies of "Voter Statement--Lost Absentee Ballot." The voter returns one copy to the Auditor's Office and keeps one for his/her own record.

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How do I return my absentee ballot?


You can return your ballot by mail (postage is paid) or in person.

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Can I return my ballot by fax?


No, the actual ballot must be returned.

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Does the ballot have to be returned by mail?


No. Your absentee ballot may be returned in person or by mail. Return postage is paid.

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Can I give my voted absentee ballot to someone else to return for me?


Yes. Iowa law no longer requires registered couriers.

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When must I return the voted ballot?


Absentee ballots must be received no later than the close of polls (9:00 p.m. for General and partisan Primary elections, and 8:00 p.m. for all other elections) on Election Day. Your voted absentee ballot must be returned to the Auditor's Office (not your polling place).



If you return your voted ballot by mail, your ballot must be postmarked by the day before the election. It will be counted if it arrives by noon on the Monday after the election, or before the canvass (official certification of results). The canvass is usually six days after the election, but may be held sooner.


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If I request an absentee ballot, can I change my mind and still vote at my regular polling place?


You may mail or return in person your absentee ballot to the Auditor's Office with the words "DO NOT WANT--WILL VOTE AT THE POLLS" on the outside envelope. This allows the Auditor's Office to void your absentee ballot. Or you may surrender your absentee ballot to the precinct officials at your regular polling place. You will then be allowed to vote in the normal manner.



If you do not have your absentee ballot with you when you go to the polls, you may be asked to vote a provisional ballot.


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How are absentee ballots counted?


All absentee ballots remain sealed until Election Day. On Election Day, a bipartisan Special Board opens the ballots and feeds them into a voting machine. The results are not tabulated until the polls are closed. If additional absentee ballots with timely postmarks arrive after Election Day and before the canvass, members of the Special Board reconvene to examine and count them.


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What's this box with "Serial Number" on my affidavit envelope? There is no serial number in the box. Do I need to fill this in?


No. This information is now printed on the computer-generated label attached to your affidavit envelope. You do not need to fill out this box.


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