September is Voter Registration Month: Make Your Voice Heard

Posted September 17, 2025
Posted by Auditor and Public Relations

Pottawattamie County Auditor Mary Ann Hanusa and her election staff are encouraging residents to participate in Voter Registration Month by checking their registration status and getting ready to vote. Early voting begins Wednesday, September 17, when in-person voting opens at the Auditor’s Office on the second floor of the courthouse. This is also when the first wave of absentee ballots will be mailed to voters who have requested them.

Residents who prefer to vote by mail can request an absentee ballot through 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 22. Early in-person voting will continue at the courthouse until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 6, the day before the city primaries. Only Carter Lake and Council Bluffs will hold primary elections, as determined by their respective city charters. Polls for the primaries will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 7.

The General Election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, pending the results of the primaries. Absentee requests for the general election open October 15, and early voting will continue through Monday, November 3, offering voters ample time to cast a ballot ahead of Election Day on November 4.

To make absentee voting secure and convenient, the courthouse provides a monitored ballot drop box located on county property and under camera surveillance. The box is offered as a courtesy to voters and is emptied four times daily during voting windows, including on weekends during voting periods, so ballots are collected safely and promptly.

Auditor Hanusa is proud of the team that makes these elections possible. “Our hardworking election staff ensures we preserve democracy by running elections that are both free and fair in Pottawattamie County,” Hanusa said.

Residents should also note that if you skip one federal election you may be marked “inactive,” but your voter registration is not canceled unless you miss two consecutive federal elections.

For details on registration, absentee ballot requests, polling places, and more, visit:

• Auditor’s Office Elections: https://www.pottcounty-ia.gov/auditor/elections/

• Upcoming Elections: https://www.pottcounty-ia.gov/auditor/upcoming_elections/

• Election Types & Information: https://www.pottcounty-ia.gov/auditor/election_types/