Absentee Voting

Any registered voter in Iowa may request to vote their ballot absentee. Absentee is the term used to describe any ballot that is not voted at the polls on Election Day.

Absentee Requirements

There are several ways to vote absentee:

To vote absentee by mail you must complete a request form. You may contact the Auditor’s Office to request that a form be sent to you. When filling out the form, please be sure to include the date the request is signed. Once completed, please return the form to the Cerro Gordo County Auditor's Office at 220 N. Washington Ave., Mason City, IA 50401.
To be sent an absentee ballot by mail, the Auditor’s Office must receive your Absentee Ballot Request form by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, 15 days before the Election.
In-person absentee voting is available in the Auditor’s Office during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.). The final day to vote in person at the Auditor's office is on the Monday before the election.
Additionally, during General Elections absentee voting may be made available at various satellite locations in Cerro Gordo County. Please contact the Auditor’s Office to see if there are any satellite locations scheduled. Satellite voting locations are established by a public petition with a minimum of 100 signatures.

Absentee ballots returned by mail to the Auditor’s Office must be received by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.*

Instructions on how to vote your absentee ballot will be included with your ballot.

*Two exceptions: Ballots from individuals participating in the Safe at Home program will be eligible for counting if postmarked or barcoded before election day and received in the Secretary of State’s Office in time to be transmitted to the appropriate county auditor not later than noon on the Monday following the election. Ballots from uniformed and overseas citizens will be eligible for counting if postmarked or barcoded before election day and received no later than noon on the Monday following the election.

Download an Absentee Ballot Request Form

Complete the Absentee Ballot Request Form and send it to:

Cerro Gordo County Auditor
220 N. Washington Ave.
Mason City, IA 50401

Track Your Absentee Ballot

You may track your absentee ballot to ensure that it has been mailed to you and that it gets returned to the Auditor's Office.

College Students

College Students have several options when it comes to voting:

College students may choose to keep their Cerro Gordo County address and return home to vote in-person on Election Day, vote an absentee ballot by mail, or vote absentee in-person at the Auditor’s Office.
Students may also choose to register in their new state or county and cast a ballot in that jurisdiction. Students should contact their new local election officials for more information.

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