Ballots available for college special election

Absentee ballots for the Sept. 11 Northeast Iowa Community College Special Election are available at the Chickasaw County Auditor’s Office in the courthouse. Voters may vote at the polls on Election Day, request a ballot by mail or vote in person, which is under way now at the Auditor’s Office at the courthouse during regular hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.To receive an absentee ballot by mail, voters may submit an official absentee ballot request form to the Chickasaw County Auditor’s Office. Forms are available through sos.iowa.gov or chickasawcoia.org; many local libraries offer the internet and printers for those without.Voters will be required to show identification for Election Day registration, which consists of an Iowa Driver’s license or non-operator ID; U.S. passport; U.S. military ID or veteran’s ID; tribal ID or an Iowa Voter Identification Card. Alternative type of identification that would require proof of residency would be an out-of-state driver’s license or non-operator ID that is valid (with expiration date), or a valid student ID card issued by an Iowa high school or college (with expiration date).A handwritten request (not less than a 3-by-5-inch card) can be accepted if it includes name, complete address, date of birth, date or name of election, address to send the ballot to if different than residential address, and voter’s signature.The deadline for mailed requests for ballots is Friday, Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. Forms should be mailed to the Auditor’s Office, P.O. Box 311, New Hampton, IA 50659-0311.— For more on this story, see the Aug. 7 New Hampton Tribune.