Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Residents of Iowa who are U.S. citizens and are 18 years or older are eligible to vote in Iowa, provided they have not been convicted of a felony and have not had their rights restored by a judge, judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to vote, or claim the right to vote in another state.
College students may choose between voting at their home address or their college address, meaning Grinnell College students who meet the above requirements are eligible to vote in the state of Iowa.
Where and When to Vote
Voters can cast their ballot in person from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. The City of Grinnell contains four Wards, each with a different polling location:
- Grinnell First Ward: Elks Lodge West Side, 720 3rd Ave.
- Grinnell Second Ward: Elks Lodge East Side, 720 3rd Ave.
- Grinnell Third Ward: Drake Library – Community Room, 930 Park St.
- Grinnell Fourth Ward: Poweshiek County Fair 4-H Building – North End, 425 East St. S
Grinnell College students residing on campus in North, South or East Hall are located in the Grinnell First Ward precinct. Students residing in language or project houses or in other off campus housing may be located in a different Ward. Voters can find their polling location on the Iowa Secretary of State website.
The Office for Community Partnerships, Planning, and Research is providing a shuttle to transport voters to polling locations on Nov. 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. It will run from the Joe Rosenfield Center `25 (JRC) to all local polling locations in a loop throughout the day.
What to Bring
The State of Iowa requires voters to present an acceptable form of identification (ID) on Election Day. Acceptable forms of identification include a current Iowa Driver’s License or Non-Operator’s ID, current U.S. Passport, current U.S. Military ID, U.S. Veterans ID, Tribal ID/Document, or a Voter ID “PIN” Card.
If the voter’s ID card does not include the voter’s current address, the voter must also provide a separate proof of residence. Acceptable proof of residence includes a residential lease, a utility bill, a bank statement, a paycheck, a government check, another government document, or a property tax statement. The proof of residence must include the voter’s name and address, be dated within the last 45 days, and may be electronic or on paper.
Students living on campus received a letter of residency verification via email from Residence Life, which may be used as proof of residence.
Same Day Registration
The state of Iowa allows voters to register and vote on Election Day. To do so, prospective voters should go to the correct polling place for their address and present an acceptable form of photo ID. In addition to the forms of ID listed above, voters can also present an out-of-state driver’s license or non-driver ID card, an ID card issued by an employer, or a student ID issued by an Iowa high school or college.
Proof of residence must also be provided if the voter’s photo ID does not contain their current address.
If a prospective voter cannot present adequate documentation to prove their identity and current address, a registered voter from the same precinct may attest for their identity. Attestors must provide proper identification for themselves in order to be able to attest.
