Category: Absentee Voting - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

Voting Primary Dates - A Message to Our Membership

5/17/2022

Iowa and Illinois Primary Voting Information
Various Dates

A Message to Our Membership

Know the dates for voting in the upcoming primary elections!

Iowa Primary Voting

May 18: First Day of Absentee Voting
May 23: Deadline to Request Absentee Ballots to be mailed
June 7: Primary Election Day

Your ballot must be received at your Iowa County Auditor's office on June 7th. Ballots will not be counted if they are received later, regardless of postmark date. This is a new voter restriction that the Iowa legislature has instituted.Learn more about voting in Scott County here: https://www.scottcountyiowa.gov/auditor

Illinois Primary Voting

May 19: Early in-person voting begins at your county clerk's office
June 12: Last day to register online to vote in Illinois. You can still register to vote in-person, up until and on election day (June 28).
June 7: Primary Election Day
June 23: Last day for election officials to receive your mail-in ballot (so make sure your mail-in ballot is postmarked before this date)
June 28: Illinois statewide primary election. Polls open at 6:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. Learn more about voting in Rock Island here: http://rockislandcountyil.gov/Elections/Home/

Lori McCollum

Iowa Absentee Ballot for June Primary - What You Can Do Now

4/6/2022

Request Your Absentee Ballot for Iowa’s June 7th Primary

Civil Rights Forum

Download your absentee ballot request for Iowa’s June primary. From the Scott County Auditor's website:
About Early Voting by MailVoting by mail is easy – and you can start as early as 70 days prior to an election.

Beginning 20 days before the election, absentee ballots will be mailed out within 24 hours after receiving your absentee ballot request. For voters not located in the United States (such as military personnel) we mail beginning 45 days before the election.

Ballots will be mailed 20 days before the vote on Tuesday, June 7th.

Click on this link to download the Absentee Ballot Request form and fill it out:
https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/absenteeballotapp.pdf

Julie Ross

Action Alert - Petition to Repeal Iowa Voting Restrictions

11/21/2021

Petition to Repeal Iowa's New Restrictive Voting Laws -
Action Alert

petition_to_repeal_new_voter_laws.pdf
File Size:	275 kb
File Type:	pdf

A Message from the President

PACG has joined a coalition of Iowa organizations to support the effort of the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, Iowa (LWVJC) to oppose the changes to Iowa's new voting laws (HF413 and SF568). These laws are restrictive and unnecessary. They make it harder to vote! Per the LWV, the restrictions:

Invalidate some mail-in ballots that, even when mailed promptly, cannot be returned before polls close
Impede voting by medical and other workers with 12-hour shifts by closing the polls earlier on primary and general election days
Obstruct returning absentee ballots by limiting the use of ballot drop boxes to one per county, regardless of population, and by unnecessarily restricting who may return absentee ballots
Drastically shorten the early voting period from 29 days to 20 and needlessly limit ballot request periods
Invite interference in our elections by allowing political parties to challenge Iowa elections in court
Limit county auditors’ abilities to adapt to local conditions and criminalize good-faith errors
Provide less time for voter registration and move voters who miss any general election to an “inactive” list

To get an even better understanding of what changed in these new laws, see this PACG blog post.

The list of voting law changes summarized by the Iowa State Association of County Auditors in the flyer below.

The League of Women Voters (LWV) is collecting signatures to oppose these changes from now until December 15th. The goal is to collect thousands of signatures across the state. These signatures will be delivered in person to the Iowa Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, the Speaker of the House and Minority Leader in January of 2022. LWV will host a press conference at that time.

LWVJC is offering both a paper petition or online signature. Here’s more information about the petition:

For further details about the petition, and to sign in online click this link: https://www.lwvia.org/petitions
To sign the online petition without further details, click this link: https://www.lwvia.org/anti-voter-laws
All signees must be Iowa residents, at least 18 years old and eligible to vote. However, a signee does not have to be registered to vote.
Paper copies of the petition can be printed from pdf we have attached above. Susan Leuthauser will pick up your signed petition or you may mail it to the address below.
Each person can sign only one petition - either online or a paper copy.

If you have visitors from Iowa over the holiday, encourage them to sign the petition. Feel free to forward the online signature link to friends and relatives living across Iowa, and encourage your neighbors and friends to participate in this campaign. Email them this link: https://www.lwvia.org/petitions

Contact Susan Leuthauser (by clicking on her name) with any questions. She will also coordinate the collection of the signed petitions. If you would rather mail your signed petition, send it to:

LWVJC
P.O. Box 5254
Coralville, Iowa 52241

Our growing list of coalition partners for this petition drive includes:

Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Common Good Iowa
Sierra Club
Delta Sigma Theta
Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Interfaith Alliance
Des Moines Chapter, The Links, Incorporated
Progressive Action for the Common Good
One Human Family of the QCA
QC Pride, Inc.
Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities

As usual, PACG is proud to be working for the common good in this important way.

Allison Ambrose

iowaelectionlawchanges.pdf
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New Voting Restrictions In Iowa - A Message to Our Members

10/19/2021

Are You Still Registered to Vote in the Election in Iowa?

A Message to Our Members

The Iowa legislature recently passed sweeping new voting laws that actually make it harder to vote in our state. If you did not vote in the 2020 election, your voting status becomes inactive. But because we now have to show an ID to vote, once you go to the polls and to vote again, your status moves to active. However, if you do not vote in two general elections, then your voter status is canceled. If you wish to vote in any subsequent election you must re-register to vote.

PACG supported the efforts of Iowa Women United to create an informational flyer about these changes. The second page (shown below) summarizes some of these restrictive measures. Please download and print off the flyer to hand out to your family and friends.

The right to vote is critical to our democracy. We will continue to fight any laws that restrict that right.

Allison Ambrose

iowa_women_united_vote_flyer.pdf
File Size:	27 kb
File Type:	pdf

Contact Iowa Governor Reynolds Regarding Voter Suppression - What You Can Do Now

3/2/2021

Contact the Iowa Governor

Voting Rights and Civil Rights

Legislation has been introduced in the Iowa Legislature that affects progressive values.

House File 222 proposes that information found in the “1619 Project” regarding the history of slavery in America be banished from public school's curriculum:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/publications/search/document?fq=id:1210570&q=HF+222

House File 590 impacts the ability of Iowans to vote:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/publications/search/document?fq=id:1213531&q=HF+590

House File 590 has passed both the Iowa House and Senate and is waiting for Kim Reynolds signature. Please contact The Governor and Lt. Governor welcome your comments and concerns.

You can Register an Opinion by clicking this link.

If you would prefer to speak with a member of the Governor's staff, please call their office at 515-281-5211 (press 5 to go directly to voicemail), Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

If you prefer to send your thoughts in writing, address them to:

Office of the Governor
Iowa State Capitol
1007 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50319

Allison Ambrose

Contact Iowa State Legislators Regarding Progressive Values - What You Can Do Now

2/23/2021

Contact your Iowa State Legislators
Iowa State House

Voting Rights and Civil Rights

Legislation has been introduced in the Iowa Legislature that affects progressive values.

House File 590 impacts the ability of Iowans to vote:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/publications/search/document?fq=id:1213531&q=HF+590

House File 222 proposes that information found in the “1619 Project” regarding the history of slavery in America be banished from public school's curriculum:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/publications/search/document?fq=id:1210570&q=HF+222

Contact your Iowa State Legislators to express your views on both of these bills by visiting the links above. Legislators have indicated that contact by email is the most effective way to reach them.

Allison Ambrose

UPDATED - Count Every Vote Rally and Prayer Vigil

11/3/2020

Update: Count Every Vote Rally and Prayer Vigil
is now on Zoom!
Saturday, November 7th at 1:00 pm

A Message from the President

Due to the high numbers of Covid-19 in Iowa, this event will be virtual.

The link information for this Zoom event is:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86210124966?pwd=ekZ1dGJVeWpzRi9qbkdjYnF3NENaUT09
Meeting ID: 862 1012 4966
Passcode: 773903
Meeting ID: 862 1012 4966
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbMzsjGVM

Our original post from this week's WEU is as follows:

The US has held elections even during times of great strife like the Civil War, the Great Depression and both World Wars. The peaceful transfer of power has never been in question.

The efforts of our forebears gave African Americans and women the right to vote. Today Americans agree that every citizen should vote and that every vote should be counted.

PACG is working with local groups and clergy to organize a rally and prayer vigil on Saturday, November 7th at 1:00 pm. We will meet at the Stone Fountain on the south side of Vander Veer Park.

We support the dedication and efforts of our local election officials to ensure that every vote is counted. Join us for this peaceful rally and prayer vigil to bring people together in support of the values and ideals we share as participants in our democracy.

Allison Ambrose

Iowa Voters - Track Your Absentee Ballot

8/25/2020

Iowa Voters - Track Your Absentee Ballot Status

A Message to Our Membership

Did you submit an Absentee Ballot Request form? You can now track the status of your request and ballot from the Iowa Secretary of State website by visiting: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/absenteeballotstatus/absentee/search.

You will be able to track your ballot once you have turned it in through links on this page: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterinformation/index.html.

Allison Ambrose

What You Can Do Now - Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form in the Mail

4/21/2020

Look for Your Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form

Civil Rights Forum

Absentee Ballot Voting in Iowa for June Primary Election

On March 31st, the Des Moines Register reported that, due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office will mail every registered voter in Iowa an absentee ballot request form before the state’s June 2nd primary. The State is encouraging voters to consider voting by mail so that the virus will not be spread among polling site workers and residents. In addition, the early voting period for mail-in ballots has been extended.

If you haven't received your request form in the US Mail by May 5th, contact your County Auditor's Office. Read much more in our Blog Post.

Contact the PACG Webmaster with questions.

Are You Registered to Vote?

9/4/2019

Are You Registered to Vote?

PACG Message to Our Membership

Are you Registered to Vote?

Check here:

Iowa Residents: sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/regtovote/
- If you’re not, go to www.scottcountyiowa.com/auditor/voter-registration for Scott County Voter Registration information.

Illinois Residents: ova.elections.il.gov/RegistrationLookup
- If you’re not, go to www.rockislandcounty.org/VoterRegistration/ for Rock Island County Voter Registration information