(Primghar)– We have some additional reminders when it comes to casting ballots as early voting continues for the mid-term election and election day itself November 3rd. Rhea Schmalen, the O’Brien County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, tells us what to do if you make a mistake on your ballot…
“If a voter makes a mistake on a ballot, they can spoil that ballot and we can issue a new one, whether it be if they’re in person voting, at the polls voting, absentee mail voting, they would write spoil on their affidavit return envelope and we would re-issue a ballot once we receive the spoiled ballot back. A voter does have three chances to vote a ballot, so if they spoil three times, then they won’t be re-issued a ballot.”
Absentee ballots have to be to your local County Auditor’s office no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day (November 3rd).
Schmalen also has a reminder about a requirement of presenting your ID when you vote…
“In the past they were able to have a person attest for them, but that is no longer the case. So if a person does not have an I.D., if they’re coming to do in-person absentee or they’re at the poll, they will either have to vote a provisional ballot where they come in later to verify their identification, or they will have to go get an I.D.”
There is a small caveat…
“If they are a new person, an election day registrant, they can have an attester attest for them if they don’t have an I.D. to register.”
If you need to register to vote, while it’s too late to register normally, Iowa does have Election Day registration at the polls, but it will take a little longer than usual.
Anyone with questions should contact their local County Auditor.
(Courtesy Community First Broadcasting station KIWA in Sheldon)
