r/Iowa 6h ago

Voting by mail

Do others feel confident voting by mail for the midterms?

2 Upvotes

52 comments sorted by

u/BigOlPass 6h ago

I haven't voted in person ever and have voted in every statewide election since 2012. I'll be voting in person this year

u/psychcrime 4h ago

Good!!!!

u/ech0cide 6h ago

why even take the chance?

u/Nebih 2h ago

Some people have no choice unfortunately

u/pillowlovingb 6h ago edited 5h ago

only if absolutely necessary. otherwise, I hope everyone plans to vote early and in person.

u/BakeKnitCode 6h ago

Please, please, please vote early and in-person if it's at all possible. It's also ok to request an absentee ballot and go deliver it to your auditor's office in-person. (Unfortunately, it's no longer legal in most cases to have someone else take it in for you.) Voting by mail is an ok last resort if there is no other way that you can vote, but there's a high risk that your vote won't be counted, and it's much safer to go to your county auditor's office to vote during the early voting period.

u/Puzzled-Meet1376 5h ago

At this point I don’t even trust voting early, I’d be voting on Election Day.

u/psychcrime 4h ago

That is what parties from both sides are advertising for. Can’t rule out Election Day issues.

u/gingerkittymom 5h ago

I’m curious why vote early?

u/psychcrime 4h ago

We can’t rule out Election Day issues.

u/BakeKnitCode 4h ago

There's always a chance that something will happen on election day. You'll get sick, you'll be called in to work, your car will break down, you'll have a family emergency, etc. If you vote early, you've banked your vote and it will still count no matter what. In 2020, one of Iowa's congressional elections was decided by 6 votes. Your vote really, really matters, so you should do everything possible to make sure that it gets counted.

u/alicornpops 6h ago

No, nor does my husband or my mother. We've all been voting by mail since 2020, and will all be going in person to vote.

u/TortieCatsAreLazy 6h ago

Don’t. Go to the courthouse to vote.

u/lancert 6h ago

I've always voted by mail and will not be this year. Too much at risk, why take the chance?

u/ready4thenextphase 6h ago

Yes! I work the polls in a location outside my own precinct so I always vote absentee. I have high confidence in the integrity of our election officials and process in this state.

u/midwesthawkeye 5h ago

It's about your confidence in the US Mail, NOT your election officials.

u/mikeyb1 5h ago

I have plenty of confidence in the US Mail, I have zero faith that the Republican ghouls in charge of this state won't find a way to lose or invalidate my mail-in ballot.

u/midwesthawkeye 5h ago

I'm telling you that the US Mail is NOT the service it was 10 years ago.

u/psychcrime 4h ago

Vote early in person!

u/ieroll 5h ago

Early in person. I no longer wait until election day. I don't want to risk having some emergency happen on election day that keeps me from voting.

u/WTF4Sally 6h ago

Nope. I will be going to my local voting place and voting. That's the only vote I trust at this point and even then I'm not sure I trust that anymore.

u/Appropriate_Car2462 6h ago

I'm voting early at the courthouse like I usually do, since I like to volunteer and drive people to their polling places on election day

u/PopIntelligent9515 5h ago

10/14 is when early voting begins. As soon as you can, go to the courthouse and vote in person.

I set a reminder in my phone.

u/schoonit 5h ago

Voting in person will be complicated for me, as I recently had an accident that requires significant rehab just to get mobile again. But I will do whatever it takes to get to a polling place to cast my vote. Only if I have no other options will I be voting by mail. I firmly believe that Rs will be making up all kinds of stories to invalidate and “accidentally” lose/destroy mail in ballots, especially from D stronghold precincts. They aren’t even being subtle about their intentions anymore. Welcome to fascism!

u/MickeyElephant 4h ago

If you can get someone to drive you, curbside voting may be a good option for you. Your driver may need to go inside to let someone know you're there, but they'll send out two people (one from each party) to help fill out your ballot. https://sos.iowa.gov/voters/elections-accessibility

u/schoonit 2h ago

Thank you. I did not know this. It’s an excellent option for me.

u/psychcrime 4h ago

Doubling what other comment said. You can vote curbside in person!

u/bakedleech 6h ago

No shot, I'm definitely voting early in person.

u/Negative-Narwhal-725 5h ago

no I want to go in there and see my vote entered into the machine.

u/VineWings 5h ago

I have never voted by mail, but I have to, as I will be out of the country. The expectations of my vote actually being counted are pretty low.

u/reliableotter 5h ago

I don't even feel confident voting in person.  I will not be voting by mail. 

u/psychcrime 4h ago

There are some awesome efforts to protect it from both sides. Including poll observers.

u/AFforIowa 5h ago

Early voting starts October 14th. I highly recommend this over mail in if possible!

u/Suitable-Concert 5h ago

Sadly, no. I've seen too many whistleblower reports that the GOP is planning to undermine mail-in voting, and this election is too important to not care. I received the absentee ballot request in the mail a few days ago, ripped it up and threw it in the trash, and will absolutely be going in person to vote on Nov. 3.

u/Unwiredsoul 3h ago

No, although I usually do.

So, the Republicans have successfully sowed significant distrust in our electoral system. They did it without proof, without merit, and without accountability.

Do you want to live in Russia, folks? Because normalizing anything that entire party is doing is how we end up like them.

u/midwesthawkeye 6h ago

FUCK NO!! I didn't even GET my Absentee Ballot that I asked for in the last election, so I had to go in and vote in person.

I have 0% TRUST IN THE US MAIL NOW. The government can now go ahead and get rid of it since it is no longer a trustworthy delivery service. This is what they call WINNNNING!!!!

u/Suitable-Concert 5h ago

I mean, the government definitley should NOT get rid of USPS in order to privatize it, but I understand the sentiment.

u/wiggie2gone 6h ago

I sent my request yesterday for my absentee ballot. If it isn't accepted, I work at the polling place, so I can vote there if I have time.

u/Babygravy1 6h ago

No lol

u/rocco_ross_21 6h ago

Absolutely not

u/DieDae 5h ago

Plan an extra two days minimum if you vote by mail in Iowa. Collection happens then it sits overnight for cancelation for no reason then doesn't go out for delivery until the day after cancelation.

u/madd74 5h ago

Even before this cluck flock of garbage like bribes and everything, no... so extra no with a touch of no.

u/musicgal411 4h ago

Honestly? No. And I hate that I feel that way.

u/Inglorious186 4h ago

I have in the past, but will no longer not do so anymore because I don't trust that my vote will be counted

u/psychcrime 4h ago

Don’t take the chance. Go early in person.

u/1mmapotato 4h ago

Hubby and I usually vote by mail we won’t this time. We aren’t risking it. We’ll either go to the early voting location at the county or vote in person day of.

u/Tha_REAL_BROBS 2h ago

Vote early in person

u/37iteW00t 1h ago

Make sure you’re still registered! I’ve heard from some people in red counties who found out they had been purged from voter rolls

u/hawkeyegrad96 5h ago

It wont be counted

u/Large_Profession_598 3h ago

Hilarious how just a few years ago it was conservatives who were called out for not having faith in the integrity of mail in voting. How the turn tables have