Absentee Voting

voting by mail.

Absentee Ballot Request Form

Download the Form:

A written application for a mailed absentee ballot must be received by the registered voter's County Auditor no later than 5:00 p.m. 15 days before the election.

Mail Form to:

  • Scott County Auditor
    Attn: Absentee Request Form
    600 W. 4th St.
    Davenport, Iowa 52801

Your ballot will be mailed to you no earlier than 20 days before the election.

Absentee voting or satellite voting, is available to every registered voter in Scott County. All absentee ballots must be received in the Auditor’s Office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. (Except Safe at Home and uniformed and overseas citizens)

About Absentee Voting

There are several ways to vote absentee:

  • To vote absentee by mail you must complete a request form. (See instructions below). The Auditor’s Office must receive your Absentee Ballot Request form by 5pm on the Monday 15 days before the Election.
  • In-person absentee voting is available in the Auditor’s Office during regular business hours, starting 20 days before an election. The deadline for in-person absentee is 4:30 p.m. on the Monday before the election.
  • Absentee voting may be made available at various satellite locations. For more information satellite voting and how to petition a location.

On Election Day itself, you may only vote at your assigned polling place – you can no longer vote at the Auditor’s Office or the satellite locations.

Returning the Absentee Ballot

Mark your ballot, and then follow the instructions included with your ballot to return it in the postage-paid return envelope. It is vital that you utilize the return envelope supplied by the Auditor's Office.

You can:

  • Mail your ballot so that is received before 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
  • Hand deliver your ballot to the Auditor's Office before 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
  • Designate someone to return your ballot under one of following circumstances (official instructions included with your mailed ballot):
    • The designee is an immediate family member.
    • The designee is a member of your household.
    • You are disabled and you have designed someone to return your ballot.
  • Surrender your absentee ballot at your precinct polling place on Election Day and vote a regular ballot.
  • Vote a provisional ballot at the polls on Election Day if you cannot surrender your voted absentee ballot.

Voted absentee ballots cannot be delivered to the polling place on election day.

College Students

As a Scott County college student, you may choose to register to vote at your home address or at your college address. You cannot register to vote at both.

In Scott County, students may vote in-person on Election Day, vote absentee by mail, or vote in-person at the Auditor’s Office.

Students choosing to vote at their current college address should reach out to that Auditor’s Office for more information.

Health Care Facility Residents

Under Iowa law the county auditor must send a bipartisan team of election officials to hand-deliver ballots to residents of health care facilities, assist in the voting of the residents, and return the ballots safely to the Auditor’s office where they are securely stored until they are counted. Voting at health care facilities is often coordinated through the activities department at each facility so please check with the staff to obtain a ballot request form to be brought a ballot.

Hospital Patients

If you were admitted to a hospital in the last 14 days leading up to an election, you may contact the Auditor’s Office directly to request an absentee ballot up until 4:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Lost or Spoiled

A voter who has requested an absentee ballot may obtain a replacement ballot if they declare that the original ballot was lost or did not arrive. The commissioner will provide a duplicate ballot to a voter who requests one in writing or orally. Contact the Auditor’s Office for more information.

Absentee Ballot Tracker

See the date your absentee ballot request is processed, sent and returned. Information updated daily. Please contact us if you have any questions.