How to Vote

Cast Your Ballot

Vote Early

You can vote early at the Pottawattamie 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. You may also vote early at a Satellite Voting location. Satellite Voting locations vary depending on the election. For most elections, in-person early voting ends at 5pm on the night before the election. Check with the Auditor's office for more information.

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.

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.

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.

ExpressVote Ballot Marking Device

The ExpressVote 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. Request the ExpressVote Ballot from the Precinct Election Official handing out ballots.

1. Insert the ballot in the ExpressVote with the corner cut in the upper right hand corner.
   Touch the oval or name next to your choice.
   Each office title lists the number of candidates for which you may vote. 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.
   To change a vote, touch the oval or name again. This will cancel your choice, and then you may mark another choice.
2. Mark Your Ballot
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 card.
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 ExpressVote, take a look at this instructional video below.

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.