By: Donovan W. Mann – [email protected]
Dakota City, IA – Humboldt County residents are encouraged to vote absentee during this year primary because of COVID-19 but there will be polling locations available to those desiring to vote in person.
During the meeting of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisor on April 20 County Auditor Peggy Rice began discussing options for alternative polling options for the primary election on June 3. The intention is to help limit the foot traffic inside the Humboldt County Court House and other usual polling sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Secretary of State Paul Pate is encouraging all Iowans to vote by mail, Rice recognizes there will be people who want to vote at a polling site.
Rice says that some other counties in the area have the luxury of having a single entrance location in their court house that gives access to one room. This helps regulate the amount of people in their court houses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Humboldt County does not have this luxury so she presents an alternative method to the board.
The idea is to have spots out in the parking lot by court house that people can park in. There would be a sign that provides a phone number to call so that information can be provided by the voter for verification. Once verified the voter will be given a ballot and an envelope to seal their votes in to be returned to a ballot box handled by a staff member wearing a mask and gloves.
There are no confirmed polling places at this time but they are expected to be released in the near future. Absentee ballot request forms are getting mailed out by the office of Secretary Pate this week and will be arriving in the mail. Each request form will include a prepaid return postage for returning to the auditor’s office.
All absentee request forms must be returned to the county auditor’s office by 5 pm on Friday, May 22. More information on the June 2 primary and a downloadable absentee request form is available on VoterReady.Iowa.gov.