Voting that runs through Election Day, November 7, in Iowa will determine who will fill the positions of a large number of city councils and mayors, plus school board members.
On Election Day, all 30 existing polling places in Woodbury County will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m, with 16 of those located in Sioux City and the other 14 out in other county communities.
Other counties in Northwest Iowa will also have multiple polling places for people.
Woodbury County Deputy of Elections Steve Hofmeyer said people should participate by voting because those city and school positions are very important, as the people elected for them make crucial decisions that impact the functioning of schools and city governments.
In Sioux City, two city positions are being contested, with Mayor Bob Scott running unopposed by anyone on the ballot, while Julie Schoenherr and Tom Murphy are vying for one seat on the Sioux City Council.
Additionally, 11 candidates are running for five positions on the Sioux City School Board.
Early voting began in Woodbury County on Wednesday, October 18, as county residents can cast ballots in the Woodbury County Courthouse in downtown Sioux City. That courthouse early voting option will continue weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Monday, November 6.
People who want to cast their ballots via mail have that option, although to be counted they must be received by 8 p.m. November 7 in county auditor offices to be counted. Hofmeyer said October 23 is the final day by which Iowans can request that a mailed ballot be sent to them.
Iowa has same-day voting registration, so people who are not registered to vote can carry that out on Election Day.
For people who are uncertain on whether they are currently registered to vote, one way to check is at the Iowa Secretary of State website, which has a special link where people can type in their first and last name, plus zip code, then the answer is given. That option is available at sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/regtovote/search.aspx.
Additionally, those Woodbury County residents who need to know the location of the polling place where they vote have an online option at the Woodbury County Auditor website, at elections.woodburycountyiowa.gov.
That’s where county residents can type in their address and the voting place will pop up.
Additionally, the Woodbury County Auditor office can be reached for voting related questions at (712) 279.6465.
