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Register to Vote
NOTE: As a college student, you may choose to register to vote at your home address - OR - at your college address. You cannot register to vote at both.
Pre-Registration Deadline: 15 days before the election in which you wish to vote (Monday, Oct. 19 for 2026 Midterm Elections)
Register Online
You can register to vote online by visiting the Iowa Department of Transportation website (you will need to have your driver's license or non-operator ID available).
Register in Person
You may register to vote at the county auditor’s office.
Register by Mail
Complete a voter registration form and return it to your county auditor’s office.
The form must be signed. If you are not physically able to sign the form, use a rubber stamp or a mark you use regularly. You may ask someone to sign your name for you as long as the person is with you when signing the form and does so at your request. Your county auditor will send you a voter registration card within two weeks.
Register on Election Day
You may register and vote on election day. To do so, you first must go to the correct polling place for your current address on election day.
At the polling place, you must prove both who you are and where you live. The best way to do this is with your valid Iowa driver’s license with your current address printed on it.
Absentee Voting
In order to receive an absentee ballot, a registered voter must provide the following necessary information:
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Iowa Residential Address
- Voter Verification Number (ID Number)
- Iowa Driver’s License or Non-Operator ID Number OR
- Four-digit Voter PIN located on the voter’s Iowa Voter ID Card
- Any voter may request an Iowa Voter ID Card by contacting their County Auditor’s Office
- The name OR date of the election for which you are requesting an absentee ballot
- Party affiliation – only required for Primary Elections, which are held in even-numbered years
- Signature and date the form was completed
Absentee In-Person
In-person absentee voting is available beginning 20 days prior to the election (Oct. 14, 2026). You can vote in your county auditor’s office or at an appropriate satellite location, if available.
Black Hawk County Satellite Voting Locations
| Location | Date | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| UNI Maucker Union 1015 Maucker Rd Cedar Falls, IA 50614 | Wednesday, October 14 Thursday, October 15 | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Friday, October 16 | 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. | |
| Cedar Valley SportsPlex 300 Jefferson St Waterloo, IA 50701 | Saturday, October 17 | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Diamond Event Center 5307 Caraway Ln Cedar Falls, IA 50613 | Wednesday, October 21 | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Cedar Heights Community Presbyterian Church 2015 Rainbow Dr Cedar Falls, IA 50613 | Saturday, October 24 | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 501 E Donald St Waterloo, IA 50703 | Saturday, October 24 | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Friendship Village 600 Park Ln Waterloo, IA 50702 | Wednesday, October 28 | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| First Baptist Church 434 Baltimore St Waterloo, IA 50701 | Thursday, October 29 | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
Absentee by Mail
Request Deadline for Mailed Ballots:
Iowans can submit requests to receive absentee ballots by mail 70 days prior to Election Day.
After receiving your form, your county auditor will mail you a ballot.
Ballots are mailed no sooner than 20 days before Election Day. Please allow several days for delivery before contacting your county auditor for a replacement or presenting in person to vote a replacement ballot.
Your ballot will arrive with instructions on how to mark the ballot as well as how to return the ballot.
The original, signed request form must be received in your county auditor’s office by 5:00 p.m. CT fifteen days prior to the election (Oct. 19, 2026).
Voted absentee ballots must be received by 8:00 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2026.
Vote on Election Day
Tuesday, Nov. 3
7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
You may register and vote on election day. To do so, be sure to head to the correct polling place for your current address (click link below to find).
At the polling place, you must prove both who you are and where you live. The best way to do this is with your valid Iowa driver’s license with your current address printed on it, or see full list of approved items below.
Questions about elections accessibility? Visit the Iowa Secretary of State's Elections Accessibility page to learn more.
On-Campus Polling Places
Bender, Dancer
Hearst Center for the Arts
(304 West Seerley Blvd)
Hagemann, Lawther, Noehren, Panther Village, Rider, Shull
UNI Gilchrist Hall
(2700 Campus St)
Roth Apartments & Jennings Court
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
(4000 Hudson Rd)
Trailside
Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists
(9204 University Ave)
Election officials are required to ask voters registered in the county to show one of the valid forms of identification:
- Iowa Driver’s License
- Iowa Non-Operator ID
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Military ID or Veteran ID
- Iowa Voter Identification Card
- Tribal ID Card/Document
An Iowa Voter Identification Card is provided automatically by the county auditor to each voter who does not have either an Iowa driver’s license or non-operator ID. Any voter may request an Iowa Voter ID Card by contacting their county auditor’s office.
A voter without one of the above forms of ID may have the voter’s identity attested to by another registered voter in the precinct or may prove identity and residence using Election Day Registration documents.
Mark your ballot
Iowans vote on paper ballots. To mark your ballot, fill in the oval next to your choice. You can vote the entire ballot, or only particular races—whichever you choose. If you make a mistake on your ballot, ask a precinct election official for a new, replacement ballot.
In our state, each and every voter has the opportunity to request assistance while voting. This can be done in a variety of ways. A prime example is the ability to use an accessible ballot marking device in each and every polling place. Curbside voting is also available on Election Day and at the county auditor’s office during in-person absentee voting. For more information regarding these methods of voting, contact your county auditor or click here.
Voting information sourced from the Iowa Secretary of State and Voter Ready Iowa.
About Panthers Vote
Panthers Vote is a unified, nonpartisan campaign to increase student participation in elections, led by the School of Public Affairs & Service and UNI chapters of the American Democracy Project (ADP) and Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP), in partnership with Northern Iowa Student Government (NISG), UNI Athletics and other offices and organizations across the University of Northern Iowa campus.
UNI has a strong tradition of civic engagement. While voting is only one way students can impact society, it's an important one! The Panthers Vote initiative encourages all students to let their voice be heard by casting a ballot.
