10/14/2026
Early voting starts today
What you need to know to cast ballot ahead of Nov. 3
GRACE NIELAND
The Gazette
Early voting will soon open for the Nov. 3 election — the first election in 58 years in which Iowa has had open-seat elections for governor and U.S. Senate on the same ballot.
In-person absentee voting begins Wednesday in both Linn and Johnson counties and will run through Monday, Nov. 2.
Ballots include a mix of county, state and federal races, as well as several bond measures.
Here’s how to cast your vote in the lead-up to Election Day.
LINN COUNTY
Starting Wednesday, Linn County voters can vote absentee in person at the Linn County Auditor’s Office, 935 Second St. SW, in Cedar Rapids from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. any weekday through Nov. 2. The office also will open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
Early voting also is available to all county voters during that time at Lindale Mall, 4444 First Ave.
NE, in Cedar Rapids from 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 1.
Short-term satellite voting locations were established by public petition and include the following: Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 18, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Ave. SE. Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Coe College’s Gage Memorial Union, 1220 First Ave. NE in Cedar Rapids. Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 25, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Public Library Busse Branch, 1845 Sandberg Lane in Cedar Rapids. Monday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Marion Public Library, 1101 Sixth Ave. in Marion.
Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Cornell College’s SAW facility, 835 First St. W in Mount Vernon.
Voters should bring their Iowa driver’s license or non-operator ID to their voting location if they have one. If not, the Linn County Auditor’s Office keeps a list of other voter ID options on its website.
JOHNSON COUNTY
Johnson County voters can vote absentee in person at the Johnson County Auditor’s office, 913 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. any weekday starting Wednesday and going through Nov. 2.
The office will extend its hours out to 6 p.m. between Oct. 26 and Oct. 28 and hold weekend voting from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24-25; from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 31; and from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 1.
Drive-up early voting will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the parking ramp north of the Health and Human Services building, 855 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, through Oct. 30 and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2.
Weekend drive-up voting will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25; from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 31; and from noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 1.
Johnson County voters also have the option of visiting one of the 10 satellite locations listed on the county website. A valid ID will be required to vote at any early voting site.
VOTING BY MAIL
Wednesday also marks the first day county auditor’s offices can distribute mail-in ballots to voters who requested them. The last day to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 19, and details to do so can be found at your county auditor’s office.
Those who request absentee ballots will receive them in the mail to fill out at home. Ballots can then be mailed back or dropped off by hand at your county auditor’s office, but all ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Ballots postmarked before Election Day that reach auditors after that time will not count unless they are coming from overseas/military voters, so voters are encouraged to return ballots early to ensure enough time for delivery.
VOTING ON ELECTION DAY
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for those who choose to vote on Election Day. Voters on Nov. 3 must go to their designated precinct, which can be identified by using the following online tools: Linn County: Find your polling place by following the steps in the county’s lookup tool using your address. Johnson County: Voters can use the lookup tool on the county auditor’s website to find their polling place.
Voters must show a driver’s license, non-driver’s ID, passport, military ID, veterans ID, tribal ID or Voter ID card before they vote.
