Student Voting Project | Iowa

Voting at School

ID Requirements

If you are a first time voter who registered by mail, you'll have to prove your identity in some way.  You'll have to provide an Iowa driver's license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number with your voter registration application, or provide a copy of your ID with your registration application or when you vote, either at the polls or by mail if you vote absentee. Acceptable ID includes current and valid photo ID, or any of the following documents with your name and address: utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document.  Student IDs will be accepted, as well as online printouts of qualifying documents; the Secretary of State's office indicated that cell phone bills will not count as ID.

At the polls, election officials can request ID from you if they don't know you. The same forms of identification accepted for Election Day registration will be accepted for these purposes. You can show a student ID card from an Iowa high school, college or university, any driver's license (Iowa or out-of-state), U.S. passport, or employee ID card. If your ID does not show your current address, you must also show one of the following documents with your current address: residential lease, property tax statement, utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or any other government document. You can also have another voter in the precinct swear to your identity and residency.

If you are asked to show identification and are unable to do so, you must vote by provisional ballot. This ballot will not be counted unless you provide proper identification to the county after the election.

Registration Requirements

For primary and general elections, in-person registration closes at 5:00 p.m. ten days before Election Day; for all other elections, in-person registration closes 11 days before Election Day.  Mail-in registration forms must be received by 5 p.m. at least ten days before Election Day or postmarked at least 15 days before Election Day.  Iowa colleges and universities must offer the opportunity to register to vote on-campus at least once a year.

Iowa also has Election Day registration. To register on Election Day, you have to go the polling place for your address, complete a voter registration application, and show proof of your identity and residence. The following forms of photo ID are accepted for Election Day registration: student ID card from an Iowa high school, college or university, any driver's license (Iowa or out-of-state), U.S. passport, and employee ID card. The photo ID must be current and valid which means it must contain an expiration date that has not passed. If your ID does not show your current address, you must also show one of the following documents with your current address: residential lease, property tax statement, utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or any other government document. You can also have another voter in the precinct swear to your identity and residency.

Residency Requirements

Under Iowa law, your voting residence is the place you declare to be your home with the intent to remain there for any amount of time.  In addition, Iowa law expressly allows students who consider themselves residents of Iowa as well as another place (such as their parent's home) to choose either location for voter registration and voting purposes.

Students who lived in Iowa but moved to another state for school, and who wish to establish or keep their Iowa voting residency (i.e., at their parents' address), should have no problem doing so unless they've already registered to vote in another state.  Like all states, Iowa allows students to keep their voting residency even if they move out of the county or state to attend school.  The only way you might lose this residency is if you "abandon" it by asserting residency in a new state. While registering to vote in another state is not automatically considered an abandonment of residency in Iowa, some judges or officials might view it as such.

Challenges to Residency

It's unlikely that your residence will be challenged, but if it is, you'll be entitled to notice and a hearing.  Your residency can also be challenged at the polls by a poll worker or another registered voter; you'll be asked about your residence, and if the challenge isn't withdrawn, you'll have to vote via provisional ballot.  You can present additional evidence about your qualifications to county officials. Your declared residence is presumed to be valid; you'll only be found to be not a resident if a preponderance of evidence contradicts your declaration.

Absentee Requirement

Any registered voter who expects to be absent from their precinct or unable to go to the polls during the hours the polls are open on Election Day can vote absentee. Applications for absentee ballots sent by mail must be received by county officials by 5:00 p.m. the Friday before the election.  Applications are available on the web site of the Iowa Secretary of State.  Your absentee ballot must either: A) be received by the election officials before the polls close on Election Day or; B) be postmarked no later than the day before the election and received no later than the Monday morning following the election.  Neither your application nor your ballot need to be witnessed.

Voting at Home

ID Requirements

If you are a first time voter who registered by mail, you'll have to prove your identity in some way.  You'll have to provide an Iowa driver's license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number with your voter registration application, or provide a copy of your ID with your registration application or when you vote, either at the polls or by mail if you vote absentee. Acceptable ID includes current and valid photo ID, or any of the following documents with your name and address: utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document.  Student IDs will be accepted, as well as online printouts of qualifying documents; the Secretary of State's office indicated that cell phone bills will not count as ID.

At the polls, election officials can request ID from you if they don't know you. The same forms of identification accepted for Election Day registration will be accepted for these purposes. You can show a student ID card from an Iowa high school, college or university, any driver's license (Iowa or out-of-state), U.S. passport, or employee ID card. If your ID does not show your current address, you must also show one of the following documents with your current address: residential lease, property tax statement, utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or any other government document. You can also have another voter in the precinct swear to your identity and residency.

If you are asked to show identification and are unable to do so, you must vote by provisional ballot. This ballot will not be counted unless you provide proper identification to the county after the election.

Registration Requirements

For primary and general elections, in-person registration closes at 5:00 p.m. ten days before Election Day; for all other elections, in-person registration closes 11 days before Election Day.  Mail-in registration forms must be received by 5 p.m. at least ten days before Election Day or postmarked at least 15 days before Election Day.  Iowa colleges and universities must offer the opportunity to register to vote on-campus at least once a year.

Iowa also has Election Day registration. To register on Election Day, you have to go the polling place for your address, complete a voter registration application, and show proof of your identity and residence. The following forms of photo ID are accepted for Election Day registration: student ID card from an Iowa high school, college or university, any driver's license (Iowa or out-of-state), U.S. passport, and employee ID card. The photo ID must be current and valid which means it must contain an expiration date that has not passed. If your ID does not show your current address, you must also show one of the following documents with your current address: residential lease, property tax statement, utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or any other government document. You can also have another voter in the precinct swear to your identity and residency.

Residency Requirements

Under Iowa law, your voting residence is the place you declare to be your home with the intent to remain there for any amount of time.  In addition, Iowa law expressly allows students who consider themselves residents of Iowa as well as another place (such as their parent's home) to choose either location for voter registration and voting purposes.

Students who lived in Iowa but moved to another state for school, and who wish to establish or keep their Iowa voting residency (i.e., at their parents' address), should have no problem doing so unless they've already registered to vote in another state.  Like all states, Iowa allows students to keep their voting residency even if they move out of the county or state to attend school.  The only way you might lose this residency is if you "abandon" it by asserting residency in a new state. While registering to vote in another state is not automatically considered an abandonment of residency in Iowa, some judges or officials might view it as such.

Challenges to Residency

It's unlikely that your residence will be challenged, but if it is, you'll be entitled to notice and a hearing.  Your residency can also be challenged at the polls by a poll worker or another registered voter; you'll be asked about your residence, and if the challenge isn't withdrawn, you'll have to vote via provisional ballot.  You can present additional evidence about your qualifications to county officials. Your declared residence is presumed to be valid; you'll only be found to be not a resident if a preponderance of evidence contradicts your declaration.

Absentee Requirement

Any registered voter who expects to be absent from their precinct or unable to go to the polls during the hours the polls are open on Election Day can vote absentee. Applications for absentee ballots sent by mail must be received by county officials by 5:00 p.m. the Friday before the election.  Applications are available on the web site of the Iowa Secretary of State.  Your absentee ballot must either: A) be received by the election officials before the polls close on Election Day or; B) be postmarked no later than the day before the election and received no later than the Monday morning following the election.  Neither your application nor your ballot need to be witnessed.

[1] Iowa Code Ann. § 48.5.

[2] Id. at § 48A.5A(5); see also Paulson v. Forest City Comm. School District, 238 N.W.2d 344 (Iowa 1976).

[3] Iowa Code Ann § 48A.15 (West 2007).

[4] Iowa Code § 49.80 (2008).

[5] Iowa Code § 49.81 (2008).

[6] Iowa Code Ann. § 48A.5A (West 2007).

[7] Iowa Code Ann § 48A.9 (West 2007).

[8] Id.

[9] Iowa Code Ann § 48A.23 (West 2007).

[10] Iowa Code Ann § 48A.7A (West 2007).

[11] Id.

[12] Iowa Administrative Code 721-21.3(4 & 5) 

[13] Id.

[14] Id.

[15] Iowa Code Ann § 48A.8 (West 2007).

[16] Interview with the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Elections (May 15, 2008).

[17] Id.

[18] Id.

[19] Id.

[20] Id.

[21] Id.

[22] Iowa Code Ann. § 49.81 (West 2007).

[23] Id. 

[24] Iowa Code Ann. § 53.1 (West 2007).

[25] Id.