Absentee
What are some reasons why somebody would vote absentee?
Poor health
Will be gone (college, trip, winter in AZ)
Bad weather
Avoid lines
What if I put my ballot in the machine the wrong way?
Trick question - the machine is smart enough to read it forwards, backwards and upside down. This is tested on each machine before they are sent to the polling location as part of the Public Test.
***Explain a Public Test.
What is a PEO?
Precinct Election Official
Polling locations are open from ____ am to ____ pm.
7 am to 8 pm
All the employees in the Auditor's Office are SEAT (State Elections Administrators Training) Certified. Where do we go if we have questions about elections?
Iowa Secretary of State and/or Iowa Code
What are the two ways to vote absentee?
1. By mail: a request form is sent to Auditor's Office containing all necessary information, on the allowed date a ballot will be mailed to you, mail back the voted ballot.
2. In person at the Auditor's Office: very similar experience to voting on election day at a precinct.
How is the order on the ballot determined?
Nonpartisan races (example: city/school) - random draw
General elections - rotating system for major parties per list provided by the SOS
Are PEOs paid?
Yes, recently increased to $15/hr
An absentee request form is received, but is missing required information. How long does the Auditor's Office have to remedy the situation?
24 hours
Necessary information includes:
How many seats are up for election for the Baxter School Board? How many people have filed paperwork to fill those spots?
2 seats, 2 people have filed paperwork.
***Explain run-off election
***Explain special election
Do I have to vote for every race on the ballot?
This is a frequently asked question!
No. Only the races you voted for will count.
***Explain undervote
***Explain overvote
What if I fill in the wrong circle?
Take your ballot back to one of the PEOs. They will mark it as 'spoiled' and reissue you a new one.
Can anybody be a PEO?
Must be 17
Attend training class
Can't be on ballot or related to candidate on ballot
In the November 2024 General Election:
_____% of registered voters in Jasper County voted.
_____ people voted in person at the polls.
75.28% (20,306 voted/26,975 registered). Iowa average was 74.17%. National average was 63.76%.
*** 8 counties > 80%, 12 counties < 70%
12,134 at the polls and 8,172 absentee (5,740 in the Auditor's Office!)
In addition to Elections, what other duties does the Auditor's Office fill? Name 1 of the 4.
Real Estate
Clerk to the Board of Supervisors
Payroll
Budgeting
How do we know Absentee ballots are not counted ahead of time?
Absentee ballots are numbered, have a bar code, are sealed and locked away. Absentee Committee verifies this information.
What are some "Do's" and "Don'ts" of Election Day?
Do's: Look up your polling location ahead of time, view sample ballot ahead of time, have ID ready, be nice to PEOs.
Don'ts: Campaign at polling location, be on your cell phone, talk to others while voting. Lori's pet peeve: write in votes for Santa or Mickey Mouse
Why does the PEO ask me to verify my address?
To ensure the correct ballot is issued.
***Explain the number of ballot styles
Absentee Ballot Requests can’t be submitted earlier than ___ days before the election.
70 days
When was the last local special election and why was it held?
July 2024
City Council vacancy
True/False: Absentee Voting and Early Voting are the same thing.
False. It is a common misconception.
Early Voting is when you cast your ballot and have it tabulated before election day. Currently illegal in Iowa!
What is a Poll Watcher?
Officially appointed observer for a political party, candidate or organization who monitors the voting process to ensure elections are conducted fairly and transparently.
***Must make a request to the Auditor's Office ahead of election to do this.***
Can:
Can't:
True/False. Even without ID, a PEO can issue a ballot.
True. We prefer that voters bring proper ID, however a PEO can attest that a voter is who they say they are.
In ______ the National Voter Registration Act (referred to the Motor Vehicle Act) was passed. The goal of this act was to make it easier for all Americans to register and maintain their voter registration
1993
***Explain daily process from DMV.
Name the current three supervisors.
Brandon Talsma (chair)
Thad Nearmyer
Doug Cupples