Absentee Voting

Absentee Ballots
Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot. You do not need to give any reason to ask for an absentee ballot.

Procedures for Obtaining an Absentee Ballot  

  • Early voting. The county commissioner must provide facilities for absentee voting in person at his office when the ballots are ready ( September 23, 2004). Iowa Code § 53.10 (2003 Supp.)
  • Satellite absentee voting stations . A county commissioner also may establish voting locations off site of his office prior to Election Day to allow early voting. Iowa Code § 53.11 (2003 Supp.)
    • Eligible voters can apply to receive a ballot between August 25, 2004 and November 1, 2004:
      • in person at the county commissioner’s office;
      • in person at any location designated by the commissioner; or
      • in writing, to the commissioner. Iowa Code § 53.2 (2003).
    • If an application for an absentee ballot is made in writing:
      • The voter must use the form prescribed by the state commissioner. The form does not need to be notarized. Iowa Code § 53.2 (2003 and as amended by Iowa Legis. S.F. 2269 (2004)). You may obtain a copy of the form online by clicking here.
  • Exception: members of the armed forces may request ballots using the federal postcard application form. Iowa Code § 53.40 (2003).
  • The application may not be preaddressed or printed with instructions to send the application to anyone other than the appropriate county commissioner, or to send the ballot to anyone other than the voter. Iowa Code § 53.2 (2003).
  • The application must be received by the commissioner no later than five p.m. on the Friday before the election. ( October 29, 2004). Iowa Code § 53.2 (as amended by Iowa Legis. S.F. 2269 (2004)).
  • If an applicant is eligible but not yet registered to vote, the county commissioner will send a registration form and an absentee ballot to the voter. The applicant must register before voting, per the rules described in I.B. above. Iowa Code § 53.2 (2003).

Involvement of parties and candidates in applying for ballots

  • If an application is solicited by, and returned to the commissioner by a person acting as an actual or implied agent for a political party, candidate, or committee, the person shall issue to the applicant a receipt for the completed application.
  • Copies of the receipt forms required by this section will be made available by the county commissioner, and may be photocopied at the expense of the political party, candidate, or committee. Iowa Code § 53.3 (created by Iowa Legis. S.F. 2269 (2004)).
  • If a written application for an absentee ballot is returned to the commissioner by a person acting as an actual or implied agent for a political party, candidate, or committee, then the ballot must be returned to the county commissioner within seventy two hours of the time the completed application was received from the applicant or no later than five p.m. on the Friday before the election, whichever is earlier. Iowa Code §§ 53.2, 53.3 (as amended by Iowa Legis. S.F. 2269 (2004)).

Persons in hospitals or health care facilities

  • Any person who is a resident or patient in a hospital or health care facility may apply for an absentee ballot in the county in which the hospital or facility is located. A ballot will be delivered to the person by precinct election officials representing the two major parties in the ten days prior to the election. These officials will be present while the ballot is marked and may assist the voter. After the ballot is marked and sealed, the officials will return the ballot. Iowa Code § 53.22 (2003).
  • If such a resident or patient notifies the county commissioner that he or she will not be at the hospital or facility during the ten days prior to an election, the county commissioner will direct the precinct election officials to deliver the applicant’s ballot at an appropriate time prior to the ten-day period immediately preceding the election. If the a pplicant is not at the hospital or facility because he or she has been dismissed from the hospital, the officers may take the ballot to the voter if the voter is residing in the county. Iowa Code 53.22 (200
  • If a person becomes a patient or resident of a hospital or health care facility (1) outside the county where the person is registered to vote (2) within three days of the election or on election day, the person may request a ballot by telephoning the commissioner’s office for the county in which he or she is registered not later than five p.m. on November 2, 2004. The patient or resident may ask that the ballot be delivered by mail or may designate a person to pick up and return the ballot. The designee may be any person except a candidate for office in the election at issue. Iowa Code § 53.22 (2003).

Lost Absentee Ballots.

  • A voter who requested an absentee ballot may obtain a replacement ballot if the voter declares that the original was lost or did not arrive. The voter may make a written or oral request to the county commissioner for a replacement ballot. Iowa Code § 53.21 (2003).
  • Spoiled Absentee Ba llots . A voter who spoils an absentee ballot must return it to the county commissioner. The outside of the return envelope shall be marked “Spoiled” and the secretary of state shall replace the ballot. If the ballot is returned without a designation that it was “spoiled,” the voter will not get a new ballot. Iowa Code § 53.21 (2003).

Deadlines and voting the absentee ballot

  • The absentee ballot must be:
    • received by the county commissioner’s office before 9:00 p.m. on Election Day, or
    • postmarked not later than November 1, 2004 AND received by the county commissioner no later than 12:00 p.m. on Monday, November 8, 2004 unless the law authorizing the election provides otherwise. Iowa Code § 53.17 (2003).
  • The ballot may be delivered to the commissioner’s office in person:
    • by the voter or
    • by an absentee ballot courier.
  • Ballots delivered by a courier must be received by the commissioner before the general deadline, or within seventy-two hours of the time they are sealed and given to the courier, whichever is earlier.
  • After receiving an absentee ballot, if a voter decides to vote at the polling place on Election Day, the voter must turn in the absentee ballot at the poll. If the voter does not turn in his or her absentee ballot, a provisional ballot will be issued. Iowa Code §§ 49.81, 53.19 (2003).