KAY SWANSON MAHASKA COUNTY AUDITOR Courthouse Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577 (641) 673-7148 TO: All Mahaska County Area News Media FROM: Kay Swanson, Mahaska County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Date: October 4, 2011 RE: November 8, 2011 City Election The enclosed materials are designed to assist in coverage of the November 8, 2011 City Election. The following items are included: 1. News release reminder of voter registration deadlines. Release October 19. 2. News release reminder of absentee voting deadlines. - Release October 17. 3. Last Minute Concerns for Absentee Voters. Publish / broadcast Thursday, November 3 rd and Friday, November 4 th. 4. Last Minute Concerns of People Going to the Polls. Publish / broadcast Monday, November 7 th and Tuesday, November 8 th. 5. Election day news release. - Release November 8 th. 6. Fact sheet containing information relevant to the 2011 City Election. 7. Listing of candidates. 8. Election Day Registration. Thanks, in advance, for all of your help and cooperation. News Media Packet-municipal
Contact: Kay Swanson 641-673-7148 FOR RELEASE October 19, 2011 The final day for early voter registration for the November 8, 2011 City Election is Friday, October 28 th by 5:00 P.M. Early registration can be completed by mail if voter registration application is postmarked no later than Monday, October 24 th. After October 24 through October 28 all registrations must be delivered to the Election Office. Voters may also cast absentee ballots during office hours at the Auditor s Office, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. Voters in Barnes City, Fremont, Leighton, Oskaloosa, and Rose Hill may vote absentee in the office on Tuesday, September 13 th, until 11 A.M., or may cast a regular ballot at their precinct from Noon until 8 P.M. on election day. The deadline for voters in Beacon, Keomah Village, New Sharon, and University Park to absentee vote is Monday, November 7 at 5:00 P.M., or may cast a regular ballot at their precinct from 7 A.M. until 8 P.M. on day of election. For further information, contact the Mahaska County Auditor s Office at 673-7148 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday.
Contact: Kay Swanson 641-673-7148 FOR RELEASE October 17, 2011: Absentee ballots for the November 8, 2011 Election in Barnes City, Beacon, Fremont, Keomah Village, Leighton, New Sharon, Oskaloosa, Rose Hill, and University Park are available in the Mahaska County Auditor s Office or by mail. Absentee ballots may be cast in the Auditor s Office, 1 st Floor of the Court House, during office hours, from 8 A.M. through 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, through Monday, November 7 th. Voters in Barnes City, Fremont, Leighton, Oskaloosa, and Rose Hill may vote absentee in the office on Tuesday, November 8 th, until 11 A.M., or may cast a regular ballot at their precinct from Noon until 8 P.M. on election day. The deadline for voters in Beacon, Keomah Village, New Sharon, and University Park to absentee vote is Monday, November 7 th at 5 P.M., or may cast a regular ballot at their precinct from 7 A.M. until 8 P.M. on election day. Absentee ballots to be mailed must be requested by using an Official Absentee Ballot Request Form. These can be obtained in the Auditor s Office or on line at www.sos.state.ia.us/elections. The last day absentee ballots can be mailed to the voter is Friday, November 4 th. Voted ballots must be postmarked by November 7 th at midnight, or returned to the Election Office by 8 P.M. on November 8 th. For further information, contact the Mahaska County Auditor s Office at 673-7148 between 8 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday.
PRESS RELEASE: (Recommended to publish or broadcast Thursday, November 3 rd and Friday, November 4 th.) LAST MINUTE CONCERNS FOR ABSENTEE VOTERS My absentee ballot has finally arrived in the mail. But I m afraid my ballot won t be received in the election office in time to be counted! You have several options: Mail your ballot. It will be counted as long as it arrives in the election office by Tuesday, November 8 th, or it is postmarked no later than Monday, November 7 th or Personally deliver your absentee ballot to the county election office. You can take your ballot to the election office before 8 P.M. on Tuesday, November 8 th, or Vote at the polls. You can take your unvoted absentee ballot with you to the polls and give it to the election officials, allowing you to vote in the normal manner. If you forget your ballot or cannot find it, you will be asked to vote a provisional ballot, which means that your ballot will be put into an envelope for later consideration. I voted early by absentee ballot, but have changed my mind. Can I get my ballot back? No. MAHASKA COUNTY AUDITOR S OFFICE, COURT HOUSE, OSKALOOSA IA 52577
(Recommended to publish or broadcast Monday, November 7th) LAST MINUTE CONCERNS OF PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY: What if I go to the polls and they tell me I can t vote because I requested an absentee ballot? You will be asked to fill out a form saying that you did not receive an absentee ballot. You can then vote a provisional ballot, which will be put into an envelope. On Wednesday, November 9th, the Special Precinct Board will consider provisional ballots. What do I do if I have moved since the last time I voted? If you still live in the county where you were last registered to vote, go to the polling site for your new address. Take a current picture identification with your current address with you. You will be asked to complete a voter registration form with your new address, and you can vote in the usual manner. If your ID is not current, call the Audtior s office (641)673-7148 for additional instructions. What if I don t have my voter registration card any more? If you are registered at the correct precinct, you do not need your voter registration card to vote. If you are asked for identification, show your current driver s license or other picture identification. What if I go to the polls and they tell me I am at the wrong precinct? Find out where your correct voting precinct is located and vote there.. What if I go to the polls and they tell me I am not registered to vote? You can register to vote at the polls on Election Day. You will be required to show proof of residency and proof of identity. The best form of ID is a valid Iowa driver s license with current address. If your Iowa driver s license has an old address on it, please contact the Auditor s office (641) 673-7148 for additional requirements. Can another voter attest for me if I do not have proof of residence or identity? If you do not have proof of residence and identity, a registered voter in the precinct may attest to the fact that you are who you say you are and that you live in the precinct you say you live in. If you have a registered voter in the precinct attest to your residence and identity, you will both be required to sign an oath. Falsely attesting or being attested for is a class D felony. If you do not have proof of residence or identity and do not have anyone who can attest to your residence and identity, you will be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. The special precinct board will meet Thursday, November 9th, to consider provisional ballots.
Contact: Kay Swanson FOR RELEASE TUESDAY, November 8, 2011 Polls will be open from 7:00 A.M. to 8 P.M. for the cities of Beacon, Keomah Village, New Sharon, and University Park in Mahaska County for the November 8, 2011 City Election. Poll hours for Barnes City, Fremont, Leighton, Oskaloosa, and Rose Hill will be Noon to 8:00 P.M. on election day, Tuesday, November 8, 2011.
ELECTION FACT SHEET CITY ELECTION Election Date: Tuesday, November 8, 2011 Poll Hours: Voter Eligibility Requirements Voter Registration: Where to Register: Registration Changes: 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. for cities of Beacon, Keomah Village, New Sharon, University Park. Noon to 8:00 P.M. for the cities of Barnes City, Fremont, Leighton, Oskaloosa, and Rose Hill. To vote in a City Election, the voter must be a U.S. Citizen, 18 years of age and a registered voter residing in the corporate city limits. Early voter registration forms must be postmarked by Monday, October 24, 2011. Registration forms are available in Auditor s Office or on line at www.sos.ia.us/elections. Early registration in person must be completed on or before Friday, October 28, 2011, 5 P.M. in the Auditor s Office, in order for their name to appear on the correct listing for their voting precinct. After October 28 th, registration can be done at the polling location using proper ID. The Mahaska County Auditor s office, 1 st Floor of the Court House, 106 South First St., Oskaloosa, Iowa 52577, weekdays between the hours of 8 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. Name and address changes within Mahaska County may be made any time up to and including election day. Prior to election day, changes are made by the same means as registration. On election day, changes may be made at the voter s new polling place. Voting Registration Final figures for the municipal election will be available around Statistics: November 15, 2011.
ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION As of January 1, 2008, Iowa law allows you to register to vote on Election Day at the polling place for the precinct you currently live in. After showing proper identification you may register and vote at the precinct the same day. If you register to vote on Election Day, you will be required to show proof of residence and identity. Deadline to register to vote for the November 8, 2011, Municipal Election is Friday, October 28th at 5 P.M. The Auditor s office will be open that day from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. If you register before the voter registration deadline, you will not be required to show proof of residence and identity. The voter deadline is 10 days before the primary and general elections and 11 days before all other elections. You can register to vote at the polls on Election Day. You will be required to show proof of residency and proof of identity. The best form of ID is a valid Iowa driver s license with current address. If your Iowa driver s license has an old address on it, you can use the license as proof of identity and use one of the following as proof of residence if it contains your current address: + Residential lease + Property tax statement + Utility bill + Bank statement + Paycheck + Government check + Other government document If you do not have an Iowa driver s license, you can provide one of the following as proof of identity if it contains your current photo. It must be valid and contain an expiration date: + An out-of-state driver s license + Non-driver identification card + US passport + US military ID + ID card issued by employer + Student ID issued by Iowa high school or college If you do not have proof of residence and identity, a registered voter in the precinct may attest to the fact that you are who you say you are and that you live in the precinct you say you live in. If you have a registered voter in the precinct attest to your residence and identity, you will both be required to sign an oath. Falsely attesting or being attested for is a class D felony.
If you do not have proof of residence or identity and do not have anyone who can attest to your residence and identity, you will be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. The special precinct board will meet Wednesday, November 9 th, to consider provisional ballots. Requiring proof of residence and identity makes it hard for someone to be able to register to vote and vote in more than one precinct on Election Day. After the election, all voters who registered to vote through election day registration will be sent a notice by mail. If this notice is returned as undeliverable, a forwardable notice will be mailed to the voter. If the county auditor does not receive a response to that notice within 14 days, the auditor will notify the county attorney and secretary of state for investigation and possible prosecution.