This week, Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz reminded eligible Iowa voters Friday is the deadline to request an absentee ballot for the upcoming city election on Tuesday.
“I hope all eligible Iowans take full advantage of their right to vote in the upcoming city elections,” Schultz said. “The deadline for local county auditors to receive requested absentee ballots by mail is Friday, Nov. 1.”
In order to have time to process absentee ballot requests, the Jasper County Auditor’s Office must receive completed request forms by 5 p.m. Friday. Voters may also vote in person at the auditor’s office during normal office hours between now and Monday.
County Auditor Dennis Parrott, who serves as Commissioner of Elections, said polls will be open at 7 a.m. in Baxter, Colfax, Monroe, Newton and Prairie City. They will open at noon in Kellogg, Lambs Grove, Lynnville, Mingo, Oakland Acres, Reasnor, Sully and Valeria. In each of those communities, the polls will close at 8 p.m.
Voters in Newton, regardless of where they live, will cast their ballots at either the Jasper County Community Center at 2407 First Ave. E., or the Union Hall at 1813 N. First St. All Lambs Grove voters will vote at the Union Hall.
Valeria residents will vote in Mingo. Oakland Acres residents will vote in Kellogg.
“When you arrive, you will be greeted by precinct election officials,” Parrott said. “You will be asked to fill out a declaration of eligibility statement to get a ballot. You will have the option to have the bar code on the back of your driver’s license scanned to expedite the process. Both processes are used for voter verification.”
Jasper County, like 57 other counties in Iowa, uses the Precinct Atlas computer program to check in and verify voters. For some, it may create the misperception that a photo ID is required to vote.
“If you are already a registered voter in the county you are not required to show a photo ID to vote,” Parrott said. “Under Iowa law only those people who are registering to vote or updating their voter registration information on the day of the election will need identification. If an individual wishes to register and vote on the day of the election they must bring current proof of identity and residence.”
Parrott added that once a voter has been verified, a label with the voter’s information is placed on the declaration of eligibility. The voter then presents the declaration to the person handing out the ballots and is given the proper ballot.
After voting the ballot, it is placed in the voting machine where it is counted. The results are tallied after the polls close. Parrott also noted an important step for voters who are writing in a candidate on the ballot.
“If you vote for a write-in candidate you must fill in the oval and write the name of the person that you wish to vote for,” he said.
Daily News Editor Bob Eschliman may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 423, or at beschliman@newtondailynews.com.