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Iowa Mail-In Voter Registration Application:
Instructions and Answers
Use this form
for new registrations or to
update or change your registration.
Note: Iowa's new
election day voter registration law took effect January 1,
2008.
Instructions:
- Open the page containing the voter registration form (.pdf, require Adobe
Acrobat Reader)
- Use the browser print command and print the Iowa Mail-in Voter
Registration Form.
Forms are also available at locations throughout
Johnson County and on page 39 of the 2009-2010 QwestDex phone book.
- Use the Back arrow to return to this page.
- Complete the voter registration form following all instructions printed on
the form. Read the instructions carefully. Under the Help America
Vote Act of 2002, the instructions and requirements have changed.
- Mail or bring your voter registration form to:
JOHNSON COUNTY AUDITOR
913 S DUBUQUE ST SUITE 101
IOWA CITY IA 52240
Call our office (356-6004) with any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
Who can register to vote?
U.S. citizens who reside in Johnson County are eligible to register to vote
in the county. You may register at age 17 ½, but you must be 18 years old to
vote.
How do I register to vote?
You may register to vote by mail by completing a voter
registration application and returning it by mail or in person to our
office. Voter registration applications can also be found at many locations
throughout Johnson County.
You may also register to vote in person at the Auditor's Office during
business hours, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Friday.
After you register to vote, you will receive a voter card by mail which
lists your precinct, polling place, and legislative districts. You do not
need this card in order to vote. If your card is misplaced, new
cards are available at no charge. By law cards must be mailed; please
allow up to two weeks for delivery. If you need proof of your voter
registration sooner, you may request a certified copy of your registration in
person at our office (cost: 15 cents).
How do I change my address or re-register?
If you move within Johnson County or would like to change any other
registration information, you may change your registration by mail.
Enter the changes on the reverse side of your voter card
or
complete a new voter
registration application and mail it
to the Auditor's Office. You may also change your registration in person at
the Auditor's Office during business hours, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Friday.
If you are already registered in Johnson County and have moved within
the county, you may change your address when voting early, or at the polls on
Election Day. To change your address on Election Day, go to your new
polling place and bring a photo ID (one with your old address is OK).
You may look
up your polling place here or call the Auditor's Office (356-6004). You'll
save time on Election Day if you update your
registration ahead of time.
If you move from Johnson County to another county or state, you must
re-register in your new county of residence.
When you re-register, indicate on your application that you were previously
registered in Johnson County, Iowa, so officials in your new community can
notify us to remove your name from our rolls.
When can I register to vote?
There is no waiting period to be eligible to register to vote. If you move,
you may register to vote as soon as you move into your new home.
On April 3, 2007, Governor Culver signed
House File 653,
which allows voters to
register and vote on Election Day. This law took effect January 1,
2008. There is still a voter registration deadline of ten days before
primary and general elections and eleven days before all other elections,
but you can still register after the deadline using the
election
day registration procedure. However, this procedure has more
requirements than registering before the deadline.
What do I need to bring with me to register to vote?
If you are registering in person before the deadline, no documents are required. If you
are registering by mail and do not have either an Iowa driver's license number
or a Social Security number, some documentation is needed; see the voter
registration application for more details.
After the registration deadline, you will need to provide ID and proof of
address to use the
election
day registration procedure.
What do I need to know when I register?
Your name, residence address, and
birthday. You are also required to provide your driver's license number (Iowa
licenses only) or the last four digits of your Social Security number (if you
don't have a driver's license or if your license is from another
state). If you do not have either of these numbers, there are other
identification options; see the voter
registration application for details.
You will be asked for your telephone number, e-mail address and party
preference; however, these are not required. It also helps to know the
last place you were registered to vote (if any) so we can notify voter
registration officials there.
If I have changed my name, must I register and vote under my
new name?
To avoid delays at the polls, you should re-register when you change your
name. If you do not, you may update your name at the polls on election day.
Do I have to register before each election?
Only if you have moved to a new address or changed your name.
Will I remain registered even if I don't vote in every election?
You cannot be removed from the voter rolls simply for not voting. In order
to cancel someone from our rolls entirely, we must receive official notice
that the voter has moved, registered elsewhere, died, or been convicted
of a felony.
To remain actively registered, you must be able to receive mail at your
address. If mail is returned to our office by the Postal Service, you
are placed on an "inactive" status. Your registration cannot be completely
cancelled until you been on inactive status through two general elections.
Who can register voters?
Any person may assist another in completion of a voter registration
application.
Can I register to vote by mail?
Yes. Applications are available here.
Applications are also
available at our office and at other locations
throughout Johnson County.
Can I update my information on the phone or on line?
No, Iowa law requires your signature.
Where do I send my voter registration application after I fill it out?
If you are a resident of Johnson County, send it to our office:
Johnson County Auditor
913 S. Dubuque St. Suite 101
Iowa City IA 52240
If you are not a Johnson County resident, our office can tell you where to
send your registration.
Can I register to vote if I have a Green Card?
No. You must be a United States citizen to register to vote.
Can an ex-felon register and vote?
On July 4, 2005, Governor Vilsack
restored voting rights to ex-felons who had completed their sentences through
that date. Since that date, the Department of Corrections has sent the
governor a monthly list of people who have discharged their sentences
(including probation, parole, or supervised release). The Governor then must
consider these individuals for a restoration of citizenship rights. If
granted, a restoration of citizenship certificate will be issued to the
offender’s last known address.
More on Restoration of Rights, including application forms (Governor's
web site)
Can anyone obtain access to the voter registration list? What if I
don't want my address released?
Our office is required by state law to allow voter lists to be released for
political purposes. Use of the voter list for commercial purposes, such
as debt collection or sales, is a serious misdemeanor (Code of Iowa,
Section 48A.39). More on purchase of voter lists
Anyone purchasing a voter list must fill out a form identifying themselves and
their specific purpose (such as the name of a political organization or
campaign). Iowa law does not allow voters to exclude themselves from such lists, and
political organizations are exempt from most provisions of the national
do-not-call law.
Does registering to vote mean I'll get jury duty?
You may be called for jury duty even if you are not registered to vote,
since jury lists are compiled from driver's license
records in addition to voter registration lists. For more information
about jury duty contact the Johnson County Clerk of Court, 356-6060.
Can a change be made in my registration without my knowledge?
No, every time your information changes you should receive a new voter
card. This includes records updated in our annual update of
addresses from the Postal Service (NCOA).
I just registered and got my voter card, but there's a mistake on it.
Your card includes an area for corrections. Make
any corrections or changes you need to, sign the card, and send it back. Within two
weeks, you should receive another new card with the corrected information.
I thought I was registered with one party but my card says I'm registered
with another one.
You may have voted in a primary election
or attended a caucus and changed your party affiliation
at that time. If you wish to make any changes or corrections, you can
make those on your voter card and send it back.
We'll then send you a new one within two weeks.
Residence: Where You
Live and Where You Vote
What does "Residence Address" mean?
Your residence is where your home or living quarters is located, and, to
which, whenever you are absent, you intend to return - except if you are away
from Iowa because of federal or state government employment, including military
service. Leaving for temporary purposes, such as school attendance, does
not result in a change of residence for voting purposes, unless you register
there.
Why is the residence address so important?
Because your polling place and elected representatives are determined by
your residence address. In order for you to receive the correct ballot on
election day, your registration must have your residence address.
Can I put down my post office box as my address?
No, the address must be the complete street address of your
residence. The only exception is the Domestic
Violence shelter. We also cannot accept a mail drop location such as
Mailboxes Etc. or PakMail.
If you have a post office or mail drop box,
put this on your registration in addition to your street address.
Can I choose which address to use for registering?
You must register where you live. If you live at different places at
different times of the year, you can register at only one address. If
you are a student living at school, you must decide whether to register at
your parent's home address or at your school address (but not both!)
More information on voting for college students (Iowa Secretary of
State)
Persons who go south for the winter must decide whether to register in Iowa or
in the other state.
You cannot register at a business address or at a
property that you own but do not live in. You can only register at a former
address if you are in the
military or living outside the country.
How do I become a Iowa resident?
As far as voter registration is concerned, if you live in Iowa and intend
for this to be your legal residence, you are a Iowa resident.
Registering to vote in Iowa does not automatically qualify you for
in-state tuition; contact your school for their
requirements. For tax questions, contact
the Iowa Department of Revenue.
I'm serving in the military. What is my voting residence?
The place where you resided when you first entered the service, unless you
later establish a voting residence elsewhere.
I'm a U.S. citizen living outside the country. Can I still vote?
Yes. You may continue to vote using the last permanent address you
used before leaving the country.
Can a homeless person register and vote?
Yes. If you are staying at the Shelter House, you may use that
address (331 North Gilbert Street). If you are on the street, you may
use a street corner or location to which you frequently return. However,
you must specify some address or location so that we can place you in a
precinct.
Can I register if I am staying at the Domestic Violence
shelter?
Yes. For safety reasons the street address of the shelter is not
released. Use the mailing address (PO Box 2657). This is the only
post office box we accept - all other voters must list a street address.
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