This fall, a number of important elections are happening across Iowa and the nation.  In addition to the U.S. House and U.S. Senate races and the statewide election for Governor of Iowa, state and local elections that will shape the Des Moines community are on the ballot this year as well. Drake University is committed to meaningful and thoughtful conversation about the issues that define our public life and we encourage informed participation in those conversations, including community participation in the electoral process.

Although many of you have participated as Iowa voters in past elections, it’s helpful to check your registration status and familiarize yourself with the process.  

You must be registered to vote in Iowa if you want to vote here. You may only be registered to vote in one location, so if you would like to remain registered in another location, you are subject to the rules and procedures of that other jurisdiction. By registering in Iowa and voting in Iowa elections, you are relinquishing your right to vote in any other state in the 2022 elections. (You may change your registration any time you move to a new location and Iowa college students are not required to change their legal state of residence to register to vote in Iowa.)

You can check your registration and find information about registration requirements at vote.org at any time. To find out if you are registered at your Drake address, click here. If you are not registered at your Drake address and you meet the requirements to register, there are several ways that you can register to vote.

The deadline to pre-register (or change your existing registration) is Oct. 24. Iowa does allow same-day voter registration, so you are still able to vote in Iowa if you miss this deadline. You must have an official ID from Iowa (e.g., an Iowa driver’s license or your Drake ID and proof of residency). You can register and vote at your designated  polling location on Election Day, Nov. 8, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

To facilitate early voting, the auditor’s office has set up a number of satellite voting locations where you can submit an absentee ballot. You do not need to request an absentee ballot to participate in early voting; you can simply show up at a satellite voting location and submit your vote. You may register to vote at the satellite voting location provided you have the required proof of identification and residence.

A satellite voting location will be set up at Drake on Wednesday, Oct. 19, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Knapp Center. This satellite voting location will be available for anyone who votes in one of the designated precincts:  DSM 11, DSM 12, DSM 13, DSM 14, DSM 15, DSM 29, DSM 30, DSM 31, DSM 32, DSM 33, DSM 34, DSM 35, DSM 36, and DSM 37.

To find a sample ballot, including all the current elections in Polk County, Iowa, you can access that here. If you have questions or concerns about voting, you may want to visit the Iowa Secretary of State’s website. For information specific to college students, click here.  

On-campus residents

To access your residence hall address for proof of residency, you can sign into myDrake and under the My Drake Profile category select My Addresses.

According to the Secretary of State’s office you can print the page and take it to the polling place or show on a phone/mobile device. We highly recommend you bring a printout of your proof of residency when going to vote, including your Drake ID card.   

Let us continue to participate and #EngagePolitics at Drake!

— Rachel Paine Caufield, Professor, Department of Political Science/Director, Iowa Caucus Project

— Jerry Parker, Chief Student Affairs Officer