Today is Election Day in Iowa. Here’s what you need to know to vote • Iowa Capital Dispatch

It’s officially Election Day in Iowa, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. across the state.

Iowans will have the opportunity to have their say in presidential, congressional, state legislative and local elections in 2024, as well as vote on two proposed constitutional amendments and decide whether to retain certain judges.

With many contentious races on the ballot this year, including the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump and the race for Iowa’s 1st and 3rd congressional districts, voter turnout is expected to be high .

Many Iowans have already participated in the election through early and absentee voting, which has been open since October 16th. People who requested absentee ballots still have time to count their votes on Tuesday, in addition to in-person voting options.

Here’s what Iowans need to know to vote this Election Day:

Where should I vote?

Voters can find their polling station using Iowa Secretary of State website. Polling stations are open from 7:00 to 20:00 on Tuesday.

Who can vote in Iowa?

To vote in Iowa elections, people must be registered to vote. A qualified voter in Iowa must be:

• Iowa resident.
• US citizen.
• 18 years old by Election Day.

Iowa also has voting restrictions for certain individuals. Voters cannot be:

• A convicted felon, unless his voting rights have been restored.
• The court found him mentally incompetent to vote.
• Demand the right to vote anywhere else.

A person eligible to vote, but not yet a registered voter, has the opportunity to register on Election Day at the polling place in his or her polling place. To register, a qualified voter must provide proof of identification, such as an Iowa driver’s license, non-operator ID, or U.S. passport, and proof of residence using documents such as a rental agreement, paycheck, or utility bill showing his current address. .

Check your voter registration status online here.

I’m registered to vote. What do I need to bring to the polls?

Voters who are already registered to vote will still need to bring identification to the polling place to participate. Accepted forms of identification include:

• Iowa driver’s license
• Iowa Non-Operator ID
• Out-of-state driver’s license or non-operator identification card
• US passport
• US Military or Veteran ID
• ID card issued by employer
• A student ID card issued by an Iowa high school or college.
• Tribal ID/Document

If a person does not have valid identification when they go to vote, they are still allowed to vote if another registered voter at the polling station verifies their identity. Voters can also bring registration documents to Election Day to verify their identity.

People who do not have accepted identification, or a person who wants to verify it, can vote provisionally. Voter registration records and related evidence of provisional voters will be reviewed by the Absentee and Special Precinct Voter Boards. Those casting a provisional ballot may provide identification or other proof of their eligibility to serve on the board before the district’s votes are counted, which is Nov. 12 this year.

In October, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate sent county auditors a list of potential noncitizens registered to vote. These people—many of whom are considered naturalized U.S. citizens eligible to vote— their powers will be challenged and will be required to vote provisionally unless they provide proof of U.S. citizenship through proof such as a certificate of naturalization or U.S. passport.

Although some county auditors contacted listed individuals in their jurisdictionNot all people may be aware of the need to provide additional proof of citizenship.

I have an absentee ballot that I did not return. What should I do?

Iowans who sent in their absentee ballots can track their ballot status at Secretary of State website. But people who haven’t yet returned their ballots still have time to vote in this year’s election.

Absentee ballots can be returned to the voter at their place of residence. county auditor’s office until 20:00 on election day for them to be valid. These ballots cannot be delivered to polling places on Election Day.

If a voter cannot go and return the ballot themselves, Iowa has some restrictions on who can return it in their place: Voters can designate another person to return their absentee ballot if they are an immediate family member or household member. Voters with disabilities can also nominate someone outside these categories to return their ballot.

There are also options available for people who requested, but did not return, absentee ballots to vote in person on Election Day. Voters can vote as usual by bringing an absentee ballot to a polling place and returning it. If a person has requested an absentee ballot but cannot return it, they are allowed to vote provisionally.

What’s on the ballot?

In addition to the presidential election, all four U.S. House seats in Iowa are up for re-election in 2024. There are also multiple elections for the Iowa Legislature that voters will be involved in, as well as two constitutional amendments and the question of whether to retain some judges.

Check out these articles about this year’s races:

Read Iowa Capital Dispatch Voter Guide – And our coverage in Solution 2024 – to find out more.