How to Register to Vote in Iowa

Registering to vote in Iowa is easy. You can register by mail or in person at various places across the state. If you need to update your voter information or register for the first time, you still use the same form. If you would like to verify your registration, access the Office of the Iowa Secretary of State, Election Division website. There is a place for you to enter information to verify your registration. However, you must go through the steps to be registered first. Register to vote in Iowa by following these simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Voter registration application
• Acceptable form of identification
• Physical mailing address

Instructions

1. Meet the criteria to register. You can pre-register when you are 17-1/2 years old, but you cannot vote until you turn 18. You must also be a U.S. citizen and a resident of Iowa. You cannot, however, be a convicted felon serving time or on parole, not currently judged mentally incompetent by a court of law and not registered to vote in another state.

2. Apply in person at the local county auditor's office, driver license stations, various government agencies across the state or at the Office of the Iowa Secretary of State.

3. Obtain a registration form. If you cannot apply in person, you can get the registration form, complete it, then mail the form to the appropriate office. These forms can be found online at the Office of the Iowa Secretary of State or at the office of the county auditor. You can also pick up a form at various government agencies across the state.

4. Complete the form online before you print it out, or print the form first then fill it out. Be sure to use black ink and print clearly.

5. Provide a valid Iowa driver's license number or Iowa State ID card. If you do not have either of these, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.

6. Sign the form. The application to register to vote is not considered complete without a valid signature.

7. Mail the completed, signed form in an envelope using a first class stamp to your county auditor's office. You can find the address online at the website given below or call the number listed below.

8. Register at least 11 days before the date of the election in which you want to vote unless it is a statewide primary or general election; then the deadline is 10 days.

9. Receive your voter identification card or a receipt in the mail within two weeks of your application being approved. You are then qualified as a voter. This card will list the precinct in which you can vote.

10. Call your county auditor's office if you have any questions or if you have not received your voter identification card within two weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow the instructions on the form very carefully. Some information is optional, and some is not. Be sure to include a stamp on the mailed forms.

• You are required to list your political affiliation on the application if you want to vote in the primaries.

• The information you place on the registration form is verified before you are qualified as a voter. If your birth date and Social Security number or driver's license does not match, your registration will be rejected.

• Providing false information on the application is perjury. If convicted, the penalty can be as much as $7,500 and /or imprisonment for up to five years.