How to Vote

Cast Your Ballot

1. Vote Early

You can vote early at the Dubuque County Auditor's office starting 20 days before any election. Your voted ballot will be placed in a sealed envelope and securely stored until Election Day. Your ballot will be opened by a bipartisan team of Election Workers, separated from anything identifying who the ballot belongs to, and counted. In-person early voting ends at 4:30 pm on the night before the election. Check with the Auditor's office for more information.

2. Vote by Mail

You may also request an absentee ballot be mailed to you. In order to vote absentee by mail you must complete a request form. You may contact the Auditor's office to request that a form be sent to you or print off a form and mail it in. To be sent an absentee ballot by mail, the Auditor's Office must receive your Absentee Ballot Request form by 5pm on the Monday 15 days before the Election. Complete an absentee ballot request form.

3. Vote on Election Day

The only way to vote on Election Day is by casting a vote at your assigned polling place. Visit the link to find your polling place.

Photo ID Requirements

The State of Iowa now requires voters show an acceptable form of ID when voting. Acceptable forms of ID are:

  • Iowa Driver’s License
  • Iowa Non-Operator ID
  • US Passport
  • US Military ID
  • US Veteran’s ID
  • Tribal ID
  • Voter ID PIN Card

Registered voters who do not have an Iowa driver’s license or non-operator’s ID were issued a voter ID card. Voter ID cards must be signed before going to the polls. The new voter ID cards contain a four digit PIN number that will be used for voting purposes. If you should have a voter ID card and do not, please contact our office to have one sent to you.

Voters who do not have an acceptable form of ID will be allowed to either cast a provisional ballot or have another registered voter attest to their identification. Attesters must provide proper identification for themselves in order to attest to another voter’s identification.

For a provisional ballot to be counted, the voter must provide an acceptable form of identification at the polling place before it closes or provide it at the Auditor’s Office by noon on the following Monday after the election. If the canvass will be held earlier than the following Monday, the identification must be provided before the canvass.

How to Mark Your Ballot

Paper Ballot

1. Read and mark your ballot carefully.

  • Fill in the oval completely next to your choice. Each office title lists the number of candidates you may vote for. Do not mark more ovals than that number. You may choose to vote for fewer candidates, or you may skip any race.
  • If you mark too many ovals in a race, the votes for that race cannot be counted. The other correctly marked races will be counted. Do not erase, cross out mistakes, or make any mark that would identify your ballot later. If you make a mistake, ask a Precinct Election Official for a new ballot.
  • To cast a write-in vote for a person whose name is not on the ballot, write the name on the write-in line below the candidates’ names and fill in the oval in front of the name you wrote.

2. Review Your Ballot

3. Cast your Ballot

  • Insert your ballot into the tabulating machine in any orientation. Wait until the machine says your vote has counted. If you have overvoted or undervoted any race on the ballot, the machine will ask you if you would like the ballot returned to you or to cast the ballot. If you made a mistake on the ballot you may get a new one from a Precinct Election Official.


OVI Ballot Marking Device

The OVI ballot marking device is easy to use and available to any voter who wishes to use it. This ballot marking device uses a paper ballot, and allows the option of a touchscreen or audio headset function to mark your ballot. The screen has large-print capability and adjustable screen contrast for better viewing. Ask a Precinct Election Official about using the OVI.

1. A Precinct Election Official will enter a password to bring up your ballot.

2. Mark Your Ballot

  • Touch the box or name next to your choice.
  • Each office title lists the number of candidates for which you may vote. Do not mark more boxes than that number. You may choose to vote for fewer candidates, or you may skip any race.
  • If you mark too many boxes in a race, the votes for that race cannot be counted. The other correctly marked races will be counted.  To change a vote, touch the box or name again. This will cancel your choice, and then you may mark another choice.

3. Review your ballot.

  • Review selections on the summary screen. If changes are needed, simply press the contest and be redirected to that contest. Once choices are confirmed, press PRINT and remove the voted ballot.

4. Cast your ballot.

  • Place your ballot in the secrecy folder and take it to the ballot scanner.
  • Insert your ballot into the ballot scanner.  If the ballot scanner rejects your ballot, notify a precinct election official.

For more information on how to use the OVI, take a look at this instructional video.

Assistance in Voting

Any voter who requires assistance in voting may bring someone with them to assist, or two poll workers from different political parties will be glad to assist you as needed.