Absentee Ballots are now available

November 17, 2023

ABSENTEE BALLOTS are now available for the city runoff election which will be held on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 for the voters of the city of Waterloo and Raymond.  All polling place locations will open at 7:00 am and close at 8:00 pm.

The courthouse will be open for early voting today through Monday, December 4 for all Waterloo precincts and the city of Raymond. The Election Office is located on the 2nd floor and regular courthouse hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

The courthouse will be closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

If you have already requested to have an absentee ballot mailed to you, those ballots will be mailed out today, November 17. You can track your absentee ballot at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/absenteeballotstatus/absentee/search

Pre-paid return postage is provided for all ballots returned by mail to the Election Office.  A mailed ballot must be returned to the Elections Office by 8:00 pm on election day, December 5, to be counted.  The Black Hawk County drop box will be open and available for those wishing to return their completed ballot in person. Ballots received after election day cannot be counted.

The Code of Iowa provides that persons who are admitted to a Health Care Facility (HCF) within three days of an election; Saturday, Sunday, Monday (and Election Day) may make a request by telephone to the Election Office and an absentee ballot will be delivered to them.  On Election Day the telephone request must be made at least four hours prior to the close of polls.  These ballots will be personally delivered to the voter at the HCF by two election officials who will assist the voter in voting (if requested) and return the sealed, voted ballot to the Election Office to be counted on Election Day.

Absentee ballots MAY NOT be turned in at a polling place except to be surrendered and voided, in which case the voter would vote in person at their precinct. Persons who did not receive or have lost their absentee ballot will be provided the option of voting a provisional ballot.

ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION A person who is eligible to register for voting and to vote, may do so on Election Day by appearing in person at the polling place for the precinct in which the individual resides. The voter must complete a voter registration application, make written oath and provide acceptable proof of both identity and residence.  The most common example of an acceptable form of identity and residence is an Iowa driver’s license that is not expired and represents the voter’s address in the precinct on Election Day.  

VOTING ON ELECTION DAY ALL VOTERS are required to provide proof of identity at the polls, typically by an Iowa driver’s license.  If you do not have an Iowa driver’s license or a state-provided ID card with a four-digit PIN, please contact the Election Office.

Questions may be directed to the Election Office: telephone number 833-3007, email address election@blackhawkcounty.iowa.gov, location 316 E 5th St, Courthouse – Room 210, Waterloo, 50703.