By Virginia Barreda, Des Moines Register
Iowans will soon head to the polls to cast their votes in the 2025 city council and school board elections.
Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 4 and you can find your precinct and polling place on the Iowa secretary of state’s website.
Early and absentee voting begins Oct. 15. Absentee ballots must be received by the time the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day to be eligible for counting.
Here’s a guide to help Iowans navigate this election season.
How do I register to vote/what if I’m not registered yet in Iowa?
Voters can pre-register 15 days before the election — Oct. 20 — by completing a voter registration form and returning it to their county auditor’s office. Iowans who miss the deadline still can register at the polls on Election Day. Bring proof of identity and residency, like a utility bill, paycheck or lease.
To register to vote in Iowa, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Be an Iowa resident.
- Be 18 years old on or before Election Day.
- Not be judged mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
- Not claim the right to vote in any other place.
Iowans can check whether they are registered to vote in Iowa by visiting the Iowa secretary of state’s website, sos.iowa.gov.
How do I get an absentee ballot in Iowa?
The absentee ballot request deadline is Oct. 20. Request forms must be filled out and received by the county auditor by 5 p.m. on the deadline day.
To receive an absentee ballot, a registered voter must have:
- Iowa residential address.
- Voter verification number (ID number): Iowa driver’s license, non-operator ID number, or a voter PIN located on their Iowa voter ID card.
- The name or date of the election for which they are requesting an absentee ballot.
Voters may request an Iowa voter ID card by contacting their county auditor’s office.
How can I check on the status of my absentee ballot?
Iowans can track the status of their absentee ballots on the secretary of state’s website at sos.iowa.gov/elections/AbsenteeBallotStatus by entering their full name, date of birth and ZIP code.
Voters can return an absentee ballot by mail or in-person or at a ballot drop box at their county auditor’s office. In-person absentee voting is available starting Oct. 15 until 5 p.m. Nov. 3.
When do mail-in ballots need to be received?
Absentee ballots must be received in the county auditor’s office by the time the polls close on Election Day at 8 p.m. to be eligible for counting.
Absentee ballots cannot be delivered to a polling place on Election Day. If you have not returned your absentee ballot by Election Day, you have the following options:
- Deliver a completed absentee ballot to the county auditor’s office before the polls close on Election Day.
- Surrender an absentee ballot at the polls and vote a regular ballot.
- Vote a provisional ballot at the polls if you cannot surrender your absentee ballot.
Where can I vote early in-person in Polk County, Dallas County?
Polk County voters can vote in-person at the new Election Office, 2309 Euclid Ave. in Des Moines, starting 20 days before the election — Oct. 15 — during regular office hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Dallas County Auditor’s Office, 210 N. 10th St. in Adel, will open for in-person voting Oct. 15 during regular office hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Polk and Dallas county officials have not yet received petitions for satellite voting locations. Voters in other counties should check with their auditor’s office to learn more about in-person early voting.
When are polls open in Iowa?
Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
How do I find my polling place in Iowa?
Iowans can find their precinct and polling place on the secretary of state’s website by entering their ZIP code and address.
How do I know what’s on my ballot in Des Moines?
The Polk and Dallas counties auditors’ offices will post a list of candidates and/or sample ballots on their websites by precinct and polling place.
The Des Moines Register will publish Q&A’s with Des Moines metro candidates online at www.desmoinesregister.com and in the newspaper in the weeks leading up to the election.
Can people who have been convicted of felonies vote in Iowa?
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order in 2020 restoring voting rights to most people with felony convictions once they have completed their sentences, including any parole or probation.
The executive order does not apply to those convicted of homicide offenses or certain serious sex offenses that carry a lifetime special sentence of supervision. Those people can still apply directly to the governor to have their rights restored.
Where can I find election results for the Des Moines metro on Election Day?
Watch desmoinesregister.com for central Iowa election results as they come in Nov. 4.
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