Every vote counts. But if you are voting early, how you handle your ballot could make a difference when it comes time to count them all up. That is thanks to a new rule in Iowa about absentee ballots.
Workers at the Scott County Auditor's Office are already getting them ready to send out. There are 76 different ballot styles in the county. Seven people stuffed them in envelopes Friday, so they can be mailed Monday to 11 thousand residents. Then they can vote, seal and return them before November 6th.
Auditor Roxanna Moritz says, "I'm really astonished that people just say, and I really don't know where this wives tale comes from, but it only counts if you're close." She says that is not true. "Absentee ballots are a ballot ."
She says every vote counts, and to make sure the ballots are safe, her office is on lockdown. We had to go through two secure doors to get inside. And once inside, everything happens on camera. Each ballot is double checked before it's sent out. But none of that matters, if you don't send yours back.
"A couple years ago, we were able to open and look at it." Moritz says. "If the affidavit said, the date on it said it was before the election, we could count it." Since then, the administrative rules have changed. The day before the election is a firm deadline if you are mailing your ballot. And it must be clearly postmarked. "If it comes in to our office the day after election and it does not have a post mark on it, we cannot open the ballot".
If it arrives after noon on the Monday following the election, you are too late. Moritz suggests mailing early. Or if you're pushing the deadline, take your ballot to your precinct on election day. She says, "They'll take that ballot from you. They'll invalidate that one and give you a new one to vote at that site." She says that ensures you can be part of the process.
Early voting for Iowa begins on the 27th. You can vote by mail, at the Auditors office, or at satellite locations starting mid-October.
