Absentee
What is Absentee Voting?
Voting prior to Election Day
Polling locations are open from ____ am to ____ pm.
7 am to 8 pm
What is a PEO?
Precinct Election Official
How many parties does Iowa officially recognize?
2 (Republican & Democratic), as of January 1st. Prior to 2026, the Libertarian Party was also recognized.
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 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.
Are PEOs paid?
Yes, recently increased to $15/hr
How many registered voters are in Jasper County?
25,215
Name one Township in Jasper County
https://jaspercountyelections.iowa.gov/files/maps/county_precincts_precincts_road_names_26671.pdf
Clear Creek/Independence
Mound Prairie/Washington/Poweshiek
Des Moines/Fairview/Palo Alto
Buena Vista/Elk Creek
Lynn Grove/Richland
Hickory Grove/Kellogg/Mariposa/Rock Creek
Newton/Sherman/Malaka
What are the two ways to vote absentee?
1. By mail: a request form is sent to Auditor's Office containing all necessary information (70 days before the election), on the allowed date (20 days before the election), a ballot will be mailed to you, mail back the voted ballot by the end of Election Day.
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
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
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 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.
Why does the PEO ask me to verify my address?
To ensure the correct ballot is issued.
***Explain the number of ballot styles
How many voting precincts are in Jasper County?
18 precincts (16 locations)
*Precinct requirements
*Precinct size < 3,500 voters
When was the last local special election and why was it held?
September 2024
PPEL Election (Physical, Plant & Equipment Levy)
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 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
How many PEOs are needed for each election?
Anywhere from 72 to 144. Depends on the type of election, what the expected minimum turnout is.
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:
Name the current three supervisors.