County Auditor releases voting information

The following information was submitted by Denise Beyer, Allamakee County Auditor concerning the upcoming election.

Due to COVID-19, there has been more of a  “push” by organizations urging voters to to cast their ballots Absentee.

The County Auditor’s office mailed the first Absentee Ballot Request form to registered voters in late July. Other organizations, such as The Center for Voter Information, the Republican and/or Democratic Party of Iowa, and the Iowa Secretary of State have all mailed the same form to voters.  Voters who have already returned one Absentee Request Form do not need to return another form. Duplicate forms are simply attached to the first request received and only one ballot is mailed.

To check the status of an Absentee Ballot Request, interested persons may go to www.sos.iowa.gov and click on Track Your Absentee Ballot on the right side of screen. A prompt will then ask for a first and last name and birthdate.The inquirer should then click the box that says “I am not a robot”. It will show three dates: the first date being the date the request was processed by the auditor’s office, the second date will be the date the ballot is mailed and the third date (eventually) will be when the ballot is returned back in the auditor’s office. If a voter does not have a computer, they may call 563-568-3522 to make sure their request and/or ballot have been received.

The deadline to submit an Absentee Ballot Request form for a ballot to be mailed is Saturday, October 24 at 5 p,m. Forms can be hand delivered to the Auditor’s office, mailed to 110 Allamakee St, Waukon, IA 52172, or dropped in the Auditor’s box inside the lower level of the courthouse.

In-person absentee voting begins on Monday, October 5 at the courthouse, and ends on Monday, November 2 at 5 p.m. The hours of in-person absentee voting will be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.. Voting will also be available on Saturdays, October 24 and October 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday, October 5 is the first date ballots may be mailed. Voters who have requested an absentee ballot can expect to receive their ballots in the mail that week. The Auditors in Iowa and US Postal Service are working closely to get ballots to voters in an efficient manner.

Bring your own pen

The Auditor’s office requests that voters bring your own blue or black ink pen when coming to vote, due to COVID-19.

ID required

Iowa law now requires all in-person voters to show an ID.  Everyone is asked to please bring an ID whether voting either at the courthouse pre-election or at the polls on Election Day.

Polling places

There will be eight polling places open on Election Day in Allamakee County, November 3. The normal sites at Dorchester, New Albin, Lansing (IC Catholic Church), Harpers Ferry, and Waterville will be open. In Postville there will be one (1) site at Memorial Hall for all voters in Post and Franklin Townships and City of Postville.

In Waukon, the Banquet Center will be open as normal for voters in French Creek, Makee, and most of Jefferson, Ludlow and Union Prairie townships. One other location will be open in Waukon at First Baptist Church, which will combine the 3 Waukon Wards and the remaining few voters from Jefferson, Ludlow and Union Prairie townships. This same combined polling place was used for the Primary Election for all City of Waukon voters, right next door to the Banquet Center.

Curbside voting will be an option at all polling locations on Election Day. Anyone who is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is quarantined in the days leading up to November 3 and has not voted absentee can use the curbside voting option, with poll workers who will be trained on how to bring a ballot to curbside and protect themselves in all ways possible.  This possibility of being quarantined or becoming ill with COVID-19 near the election is a good reason to consider voting absentee by mail, or voting absentee in-person, to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

If you have any election questions, please call the Auditor’s office at (563) 568-3522.