Iowa election officials hope a new design for the absentee ballot request form will remove any uncertainty voters might have — especially college students. Secretary of State spokesman, Chance McElhaney, says with the new form it will be clearer where the voter is registered to vote, and where the ballot should be mailed.
“When college students are applying for absentee ballots sometimes they’re confused about whether to put their college address or their home address where they’re actually registered to vote. It just is making it easier, taking the loop out of having the auditor having to figure that out,” McElhaney explains.
McElheney says auditors would sometimes have to call up students to clarify that they’re registered in their hometowns. “That has happened and we’re just trying to make sure that the process is as easy as possible and that people are getting their absentee ballot where they want it and that they’re doing it correctly,” McElhaney says.
Another change on the form clarifies that a person with power of attorney is not authorized to request an absentee ballot on behalf of another. The new form went into effect last week, along with changes in the Iowa voter registration form.