IOWA, USA — Watch Now: Live election coverage on WeAreIowa+, available on Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV
Polls in Iowa are now closed as of 8 p.m. Tuesday, and results are starting to trickle in.
Local 5 will have live election results on Tuesday, Nov. 5 from the presidential race, all four of Iowa’s Congressional races, the Iowa Legislature, state constitutional amendments, judicial retention and the balance of power in the U.S. House and Senate.
Will a winner be declared on election night?
While news organizations like the Associated Press will project a winner, results are not finalized until the State of Iowa canvasses all precincts and certifies results in early December.
What are the early voting totals?
Data from the Iowa Secretary of State's Office shows that as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, 675,464 total absentee ballots have been returned.
267,103 of those have come from registered Republicans, and 256,020 from registered Democrats.
These numbers fall far below 2020 absentee voter turnout. More than a million people voted absentee by Election Day in 2020, and 955,971 had voted as of the day before the 2020 election.
However, higher turnout during early voting could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the Iowa Secretary of State's Office sent out absentee ballot request forms to active registered voters.
When do polls open and close on Election Day?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Where is my polling place?
Use the Iowa Secretary of State's website to find a polling place near you based on your zip code.
How can I get to my polling place?
Back in April, 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. 5, up to $10.
Uber will also offer 50% off rides on Nov. 5. All users need to do is use the "Go Vote" tile to book a ride. In addition, Uber plans to offer 25% off Uber Eats orders beginning at 6 p.m. on Election Day.
The Des Moines Regional Transit Authority (DART) will also provide free rides to the polls to all central Iowa residents on Election Day. Iowans can ride free on any of DART's local or express route services. Riders using DART On Call and DART On Demand are not eligible for the promotion.
DART's Paratransit Bus Plus riders can reserve a free ride to and from their polling location. All they have to do is reserve the ride at least a day in advance by calling DART Customer Service at 515-283-8136.
Can I register to vote on Election Day in Iowa?
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 do I need to take to vote in Iowa?
To vote in Iowa, you need to bring a form of identification. 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's on the ballot?
Federal elections
- President and Vice President
- Kamala Harris/Tim Walz (D)
- Donald Trump/JD Vance (R)
- Chase Oliver/Mike ter Maat (L)
- Shiva Ayyadurai/Crystal Ellis (No Party)
- Claudia De la Cruz/Karina Garcia (Party For Socialism and Liberation)
- William Stodden/Stephanie Cholensky (Socialist Party USA)
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr./Nichole Shanahan (We The People)
- NOTE: Kennedy has withdrawn from the presidential race and endorsed former President Donald Trump. However, his name will remain on the Iowa ballot.
- U.S. Representative
- 1st District
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R)
- Christina Bohannan (D)
- 2nd District
- Ashley Hinson (R)
- Sarah Corkery (D)
- Jody Madlom Puffett (No Party)
- 3rd District
- Zach Nunn (R)
- Lanon Baccam (D)
- 4th District
- Randy Feenstra (R)
- Ryan Melton (D)
- 1st District
State offices and judicial retention
Ballots will 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 two other decisions on whether or not to amend the Iowa constitution. Voters can approve or reject two proposed constitutional amendments: The first amendment (Constitutional Amendment 1) would adjust Iowa's gubernatorial line of succession, while the second (Constitutional Amendment 2) would further clarify who is eligible to vote in Iowa.
On the judicial ballot, voters will have the opportunity to choose whether or not to retain judges, including Supreme Court Justice David May. Justices are appointed by the governor, but must undergo retention elections so voters can decide whether or not they can maintain their positions.
- Supreme Court Justice
- David May
- Court of Appeals Judges
- Tyler Buller
- Mary Chicchelly
- Samuel Langholz
- Mary Ellen Tabor
- 64 district judges
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:
When will election results come out?
Polls in Iowa will close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5.
Election results will likely roll in throughout the evening. Back in 2020, the first votes were reported around 9:11 p.m., according to the Associated Press. By 11 p.m., about 82% of total votes cast were reported.
