POLK COUNTY, Iowa — Over the past couple of weeks, Local 5 has gotten questions from the community on whether or not homeless people can vote in the upcoming election, as well as what documents they would need to vote.
According to the Secretary of State’s office, homeless people are eligible to vote in elections.
Just like everyone else, they need to register to vote. Iowa requires that people register online or in-person by filling out a form with their name, date of birth, address, sex and political party affiliation.
Iowa does allow homeless people to list wherever they sleep, or a place they frequently return to, as their current address. That could be a homeless shelter, a park, a family member's home or even somewhere else entirely.
Nonprofit Vision Leads has spent the last several weeks getting Polk County’s homeless population registered to vote.
“A lot of people don't know that they can vote if they're unhoused,” Shannon Brisbois, Vision Leads director of strategic community partnerships, said. ”It's a lot of just letting them know, ‘Hey, if you have an address that you’re sleeping at, we can get you set up.’”
The deadline to pre-register to vote has already passed. However, everyone can still register at early voting sites and on Election Day.
Iowans need to bring an ID, such as a state or out of state driver’s license or a passport. They’ll also need to bring proof of residence, such as a utility bill, paystub, bank statement, government check or lease.
Homeless people who do not have those documents can bring an attester to confirm that they are in fact who they say they are. That attester must be a registered voter in the same precinct as the person trying to vote.
Both parties will need to sign an oath swearing that the statements being made are true.
“Every person matters, no matter if they have a roof over their head,” Brisbois said. “Even if they don't, they should be participating in our elections. Every vote matters in every election, and every election is going to determine our future.”
Vision Leads has already registered about a dozen homeless people in Polk County, ahead of the upcoming election. The nonprofit is also offering rides to and from the Polk County Auditor’s Office for early voting and on election day.
“I think the more people participate in elections, the more things can change and that we can improve our own lives,” Brisbois said.
Vision Leads will be hosting a Souls to the Polls event on Saturday for anyone wanting to cast their vote. They will meet at Chelsie’s Courtyard Diner at 11 a.m. and march over to the Polk County Auditor’s Office. Afterwards they will walk back to Chelsie’s to watch college football and enjoy snacks.
Are homeless people allowed to vote in Iowa?
Homeless people can use an address they frequently return to or sleep at to register to vote.