Absentee Ballot Request Form

Please use this link to download an absentee ballot request form.

Our Mailing Address is:

Linn County Elections

PO Box 1328

Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-1328

Absentee voting may be accomplished in 2 ways:

1) Voting in Person
Absentee ballots are available before each election from the Elections Office at Linn County West (Westdale Mall) in Cedar Rapids. Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00am until 5:00pm.  Notices are published in the local news media when ballots are available for a specific election.

2) Voting by Mail
Persons wishing to request a ballot should print and complete the Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form from the link http://www.sos.state.ia.us/PDFS/AbsenteeBallotApp.pdf and mail or hand deliver it to our office. Political organizations collecting absentee requests must complete the receipt and give a copy to the voter. If you are filling out a form for yourself you do not need to complete the receipt section.

E-mail requests cannot be accepted.

Overseas and Military voters click here for information from the Federal Voting Assistance Program. http://www.fvap.gov/

Faxing an Application

Applications may also be faxed to the Auditor’s Office; however, the fax must be followed by an original request, mailed separately and received in the Auditor’s Office before Election Day in order for the ballot to be counted. The Auditor’s fax number is 319-892-5359.

Lost or Spoiled Ballot

A voter who has requested an absentee ballot may obtain a replacement ballot if they declare that the original ballot was lost or did not arrive. The commissioner will provide a duplicate ballot to a voter who requests one in writing or orally. Contact the office at 319-892-5300 for more information. 

Mailing or Returning Voted Ballots 

Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than the day before the election and received not later than noon on the Monday following the election. Absentee ballots may be mailed to the commissioner by the registered voter or by an immediate family member of the voter. A ballot may only be hand delivered to the commissioner’s office by the voter or by an absentee ballot courier that is registered with the Auditor’s Office.
A voted absentee ballot may not be turned in at a polling place on election day, except to be surrendered and voided, in which case the voter will be allowed to vote at their polling place.

Absentee ballots must be returned to the Auditor’s Office whether they are voted or not.

Voter Hospitalized

Any qualified elector who becomes a patient or resident of a hospital or health care facility within 3 days prior to the date of an election, may request an absentee ballot during that period or on election day. Requestors may also telephone the commissioner not later than four hours before the close of the polls. If the request is in order, an absentee ballot will be personally delivered to the voter at the hospital by 2 election officials who will assist the voter (if requested) and return the sealed, voted ballot to the Election Office to be counted on election day.