BOONE, Iowa—Boone County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Philippe E. Meier announces the new Voter ID requirements for elections in 2018. 

Voting at the Polls

All voters will be required to show identification

Voters who are registered in their current precinct, voters who are registered in Boone County but have moved to a new precinct and voters with a pending status will be required to show proof of ID.

Acceptable forms of identification are listed below and must not be expired unless indicated otherwise:

• Iowa Driver’s License (expired 90 days or less)
• Iowa Non-Operator ID (expired 90 days or less)
• United States Passport
• United States Military ID or Veterans ID
• Iowa Voter Identification Card (must be signed)

Voters who are registered in their current precinct but do not have an acceptable form of identification must sign a “2018 – Oath of Identification” form in order to cast a regular ballot.  This form states that the voter is the person named on the form, they are a United States citizen at least eighteen years of age and they are a registered voter of the county and are eligible to vote in the current election.

Voters changing precincts and pending voters must also prove residence if their ID does not have their current address.  Proof of residency must include the voter’s name and must be current within 45 days of Election Day.

Acceptable proofs of residency must be a paper document and include:

• Residential Lease (date considered is the lease term, not the date of signing)
• Utility Bill, including a cell phone bill
• Bank Statement
• Paycheck
• Government Check
• Other Government Document
• Property Tax Statement (current within 45 days of final payment date)

Those voters who do not have ID or proof of residency may use an identity attester.  The attester is a qualified voter from that precinct that can attest to who they are and/or where they live.  The attester must show ID.  If there isn’t a voter present that can attest for them, the voter will be required to vote a provisional ballot.  When a provisional ballot is voted, the voter has until a specified date to provide proof of ID and/or residency to the auditor in order for their provisional ballot to be considered for counting. 

Election Day Registration Voters:

Voters who are not currently registered in Boone County will need to show proof of identity and proof of residency if their ID does not have their current address.

Acceptable forms of identification are listed below, and must not be expired:

• Iowa Driver’s License or Non-operator’s ID (not expired)
• Out-of-State Driver’s License or Non-Operator’s ID (not expired)
• United States Passport – card or book (not expired)
• United States Military ID or Veterans ID (not expired or no expiration date)
• Employer issued ID Card (not expired, must have expiration date)
• Student ID Card issued by an Iowa high school or college (not expired, must have expiration date)

Proof of residency must include the voter’s name and must be current within 45 days of Election Day.

Acceptable proofs of residency must be a paper document and include:

• Residential Lease (date considered is the lease term, not the date of signing)
• Utility Bill, including a cell phone bill
• Bank Statement
• Paycheck
• Government Check
• Other Government Document
• Property Tax Statement (current within 45 days of final payment date)

Election Day registration voters who do not have ID and/or cannot prove residency may use an identity attester.  The attester is a qualified voter from that precinct that can attest to who they are and/or where they live.  The attester must show ID.  If there isn’t a voter present that can attest for them, the voter will be required to vote a provisional ballot.  When a provisional ballot is voted, the voter has until a specified date to provide proof of ID and/or residency to the auditor in order for their provisional ballot to be considered for counting.

Absentee Voting

Voters who request an absentee ballot for an election will be required to provide an identifying number on their absentee request form as well as the required information on the form.  Acceptable identifying numbers are:

• Iowa Driver’s License
• Iowa Non-Operator ID
• Voter Identification PIN (listed on the Voter Identification Card, which is sent to any registered voter who does not have an Iowa Driver’s License or a Iowa Non-Operator ID)

For more information about the New Voter ID Requirements contact the Boone County Auditor’s Office at 515-433-0502.

(contributed article, Boone County Auditor)