Local Election Officials Say They’re Getting Bombarded With Questions/Concerns

(Spirit Lake)– Local election officials say their phones are ringing a lot as the November Presidential election draws nearer. Jordan Moyer oversees elections at the Dickinson County Auditor’s Office. She tells KUOO news they’re fielding about 100 calls a day right now from people with questions. She says most of them pertain to requests for absentee ballots and one item in particular on the forms…Election Questions01 

“There is a pin number that actually shows on the absentee request form. When you look it says your driver’s license or non-operator I.D. or a four digit pin. The only reason that you would have a four digit pin is if you did not have a driver’s license, so you do not have that four digit pin if you do have a valid driver’s license.”

Moyer says as of this (Tues.) morning, the Dickinson County Auditor’s Office had received nearly 1,200 request forms for absentee ballots…Election Questions02 

“We started accepting our absentee request forms on July 6th and the first day to send those out (the ballots) is October 5th. Those have to be in our office, the last day to mail those out is going to be 11 days before the election, and they need to be post marked by November 2nd, which is the day before the election, and in our office by November 8th at noon.”

Moyer adds it’s very important to make sure absentee ballot request forms are properly filled out before returning them…Election Questions03 

“Some of the absentee request forms have yellow markings on them that are highlighted to make sure you do fill out that area. Make sure you get that signed and dated and sent in to us and always check our page, our courthouse page as well, it’s Dickinson County Iowa-dot-org, and you can go on to our auditor’s page under elections and see any information on there.”

You’ll also be able to vote absentee in person prior to election day. And when it comes to November 3^rd itself, Moyer says there will be five polling sites around the county…Election Questions04 

“So our five polling locations will be the Expo Building, the Terril Memorial Building, the Arnolds Park Roof Garden, the Milford Community Building, and the Lake Park Community Building for all of those options. And you can go on to our website to see where you would vote, otherwise you can go on to the Secretary of State’s Office, website as well, and that is sos-dot-iowa-dot-gov.”

She says staffing those locations is turning out to be a challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic…Election Questions05 

“Unfortunately with my polling workers the average age is atleast 65 and so that is also the age bracket where people do get nervous with the whole COVID-19 situation going on, so I have had people that are still kind of nervous on if they want to say yes or no, and so one thing that’s been nice is that the Secretary of State’s Office also has something on there that you can fill out a form if you are interested and it is a paid position.”

Moyer says they are actively looking for poll workers and that if you’re interested, you can contact her at the Dickinson County Auditor’s Office.

As a side note, it’s recommended that if you plan to vote absentee by mail that you fill it out as soon as you get it and put it back in the mail as soon as possible. Otherwise, Moyer says you can drop it off in the white drop box at the west entrance of the Dickinson County Courthouse. Again, it’s important to point out ballots won’t be mailed out until early October.