IOWA, USA — Iowans will cast their votes in the 2022 general election and elect a new round of officials.
The Iowa Secretary of State has mailed postcards with voting information to 47,000 Iowans who are eligible to vote but not yet registered — so keep an eye on your mailbox in case you receive one.
In the meantime, here are other ways to register to vote, a guide to checking your voter registration status, a rundown of the races and more ways to get up to speed before you vote.
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Polls in Iowa are now closed. Visit this link for complete election results or text RESULTS to 515-457-1026.
Who can vote?
Be a U.S. citizen.
Be a resident of Iowa.
Be at least 17 years old – a person who will be 18 on or before the general election can vote in the corresponding primary.
Not been convicted of a felony unless you have had your rights restored.
Not currently be judged by a court to be “incompetent to vote.”
Not vote in more than one place.
When are the polls open?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Where do I vote?
Due to redistricting, your polling place may be different than you remember.
Use this tool from the Iowa Secretary of State’s website to find your polling place based on your zip code.
How can I get to my polling place?
If you are in need of a ride on Election Day, the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) bus system will offer free rides for voters, including local, express, on-demand and on-call services.
For paratransit voters, you must call 515-283-8136 at least 24 hours before election day to schedule your free trip to the polls.
Back in February, Lyft announced it would offer discounted rides to the polls via its LyftUp Voting Access Program. That means 50% off rideshares, bikes and scooters on for customers on Nov. 8.
Along with a cost reduction for rides, Lyft has partnered with multicultural associations offer reduced-cost rides for minorities looking to complete their civic duty.
Organizations include the League of Women Voters, National Federation of the Blind, Warrior Scholar Project, National Council on Aging, Voto Latino Foundation, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) and NAACP.
Uber has not yet released any information on free or reduced rides for voters, but the rideshare app did offer 50% rides during the last general election in 2020.
How do I register to vote?
If you are not sure about your voter registration, you can check your status with the Iowa Secretary of State's Office.
Iowans can register to vote online or by sending a voter registration form to their county auditor.
I haven’t registered to vote yet: Can I still vote on Nov. 8?
Yes, Iowa offers same-day voter registration.
Register to vote at your polling place by bringing proof of ID and proof of residence. If your current address is different than what’s listed on your ID, you can bring in a paper or electronic document that was issued in the past 45 days and has your name and current address.
What form of ID do I need?
Valid forms of ID include:
Iowa driver’s license or non-operator ID
U.S. passport
U.S. military ID or veteran’s ID
Tribal ID/document
Iowa voter ID card
What if I don’t have an ID?
If you are registered to vote but do not have a Voter ID, you will automatically be mailed a Voter ID card for free, according to the Secretary of State.
How does early voting work?
Wednesday, Oct. 19 marked the first day in-person, absentee ballots were available.
Voters can case an absentee ballot in person at their county auditor's office, according to the Iowa Secretary of State's office
Can I vote by mail in Iowa?
First, voters must complete an absentee ballot request form and return it to the county auditor. This application must be received by your county auditor no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24, or 15 days before the election.
After receiving a request form, the county auditor will mail the voter an absentee ballot, along with instructions on how to mark and return the ballot.
Return your absentee ballot by mail. Ballots received by the county auditor before 8 p.m. on Election Day are eligible for counting.
I forgot to mail my absentee ballot. What do I do?
If you have not mailed your ballot to your county auditor’s office, you can deliver it in person to that office. You cannot cast an absentee ballot at your normal polling place.
The only people who can return a voted absentee ballot other than the voter are:
- an immediate family member
- someone living in the voter's household
- a caretaker
- precinct officials who deliver the ballot to residents at health care facilities
In some cases, a "delivery agent" may be approved for voters with disabilities.
Absentee ballots returned in person must be submitted before polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 8.
If you mess up on your absentee ballot before turning it in or decide to vote in person, you can simply surrender that ballot at your polling place and vote in person. If you don't turn it in before Election Day, you can also cancel your absentee ballot at your polling place.
But if you have already mailed it in or dropped it off, you cannot vote again.
Federal elections
- U.S. Senate
- Chuck Grassley (R)
- Admiral Michael Franken (D)
- U.S. Representative
- 1st District
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R)
- Christina Bohannan (D)
- 2nd District
- Ashley Hinson (R)
- Liz Mathis (D)
- 3rd District
- Zach Nunn (R)
- Cindy Axne (D)
- 4th District
- Randy Feenstra (R)
- Ryan Melton (D)
- Bryan Jack Holder (Liberty Caucus)
- 1st District
Statewide offices
- Governor/Lt. Governor
- Kim Reynolds(R)
- Adam Gregg
- Deidre DeJear(D)
- Eric Van Lancker
- Rick Stewart(L)
- Marco Battaglia
- Kim Reynolds(R)
- Secretary of State
- Paul Pate (R)
- Joel Miller (D)
- Auditor
- Todd Halbur (R)
- Rob Sand (D)
- Secretary of Agriculture
- Mike Naig (R)
- John Norwood (D)
- Treasurer of State
- Roby Smith (R)
- Michael Fitzgerald (D)
- Attorney General
- Brenna Bird (R)
- Tom Miller (D)
Ballots will also have a state representative race, in which you may select either party's candidate to represent your district in the Iowa House. It also may or may not have a state senator race, depending on your district, where you can elect either party's candidate to represent your district in the Iowa Senate.
Aside from voting for your candidate of choice, Iowans will face another decision: whether or not to amend the Iowa constitution. Voters can vote yes or no to the certification of the constitutional amendment, which would recognize the right to keep and bear arms.
County offices
- County boards of supervisors
- County Attorney
- County Treasurer
- County Recorder
- County agricultural extension council members
- County public hospital trustees
To view a sample ballot, visit your county elections or auditor’s website:
Where can I find Iowa election results?
Stay with Local 5 on Election Day to see election results from across Iowa.
Visit https://www.weareiowa.com/elections to see all results.