Voter guide to November 3 elections in Iowa

Iowa voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3. Here's what you need to know about registering to vote, requesting an absentee ballot, voting early and finding your polling place before Election Day.

Key election dates

Election Day: Nov. 3

Voter registration deadline: 15 days before the election

Deadline to request an absentee ballot: Applications must be received by the county auditor's office by 5 p.m. 15 days before the election.

Deadline to return an absentee ballot: Absentee ballots must be received by the county auditor's office by the close of polls on Election Day.

Early voting: In-person absentee voting begins 20 days before the election and continues through 5 p.m. on the day before Election Day.

How to register to vote

Eligible Iowans can register to vote online at https://mymvd.iowadot.gov/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2fVoterRegistration. Voters will need an Iowa driver's license or non-operator ID to complete online registration.

Voters may also complete a paper registration form and submit it to their county auditor's office.

How to check your voter registration status

Voters can verify their registration information through Iowa's voter registration lookup tool.

How to vote absentee

Registered voters may request an absentee ballot from their county auditor. A completed absentee ballot request must be received by the county auditor's office no later than 5 p.m. 15 days before the election.

To receive an absentee ballot, voters must provide:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Iowa residential address
• Voter verification number
• Iowa driver's license or non-operator ID number, or the four-digit PIN from an Iowa Voter ID Card
• The name or date of the election
• Party affiliation for primary elections
• Signature and date

Additional information is available through Iowa's election resources.

How to find your polling place

Voters can locate their polling place using Iowa's polling place lookup tool.

What identification is required to vote?

Iowa voters are required to present identification before voting.

Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Iowa driver's license
• Iowa non-operator identification card
• U.S. passport
• U.S. military ID or veteran ID
• Tribal identification card or document
• Iowa Voter ID Card

Voters without an acceptable form of identification may use Election Day registration documents to verify identity and residence. Those who cannot provide the required ID may cast a provisional ballot and submit identification before the county canvass of votes.

How to look up your ballot

Voters can review candidates and ballot measures that will appear on their ballot through Vote.org's ballot information tool.

Election Day poll hours

Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Any voter in line when polls close will be allowed to vote.

Accessibility at polling places

Every Iowa polling place is equipped with an accessible voting machine to assist voters with reading or marking their ballot.

Voters who need assistance marking a ballot may receive help from a person of their choosing, with certain exceptions under state law, or from election officials.

Iowa also offers curbside voting for voters who are unable to enter a polling place because of a disability. Election workers can bring voting materials to a voter outside the polling location so the voter can cast a ballot from their vehicle.

More information is available on Iowa's Elections Accessibility page.

How to report issues at your polling place

Voters who experience problems or have questions on Election Day can contact Iowa's voter hotline at 1-888-SOS-VOTE.

How to confirm your vote was counted

Absentee voters can track the status of their ballot through Iowa's Absentee Ballot Tracker.

More election information

For additional information about voting in Iowa, including county election offices and statewide election resources, visit the Iowa Secretary of State Elections and Voting Division.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.