Registration DOWN?!? Blame Elvis.

We've got some unusual statistics for 17 days before an election: Active voter registration in Johnson County is actually DOWN over the last two weeks. But there's a reason for it and there's still time to fix problems.

Recently we sent new voter cards to five precincts which have new polling places. Any time we do a large mailing, some of the cards are returned to sender.



We should have sent it Special D.

When official election mail is returned as undeliverable, the Motor Voter law (1993) requires us to place that voter on inactive status, a preliminary step to cancellation. Inactive voters need to re-register to return to active status and vote.

Since October 4, during the stretch when cards were getting returned to sender, active voter registration in the county has dropped from 89,545 to 89,065, a loss of 480. (More voters than that have been inactivated, but losses are getting offset by new registrations). That's unusually high, because one of the precincts that's moved is Iowa City 11, a high turnover, student heavy part of downtown. Active registration in precinct 11 has dropped by 437 voters in the last two weeks. Many of these voters have probably graduated and moved away, but many others have simply moved to a new apartment.

Voters can check their registration status at the Secretary of State's web site. If your registration is inactive, this will appear near the top of the page:

Your current registration status is inactive. On election day, you will need to show identification at the polling place, such as a current and valid photo ID. 

You can avoid problems if you update your registration this week before the pre-registration deadline, Saturday October 25 at 5 p.m.

We expect the downward trend in registration to end next week with a stepped up satellite voting schedule. Voting is available Monday through Friday 11 to 5 at the Old Capitol Center, and from 7:45 to 5:30 at our office.

People Are Asking: Local Option Sales Tax Insert with Mailed Ballots

Our office is receiving inquiries about an insert mailed with absentee ballots which includes local option sales tax language.

For the five contiguous cities voting as a unit on the ballot measure - Coralville, Iowa City, North Liberty, Tiffin and University Heights - the full text of the ballot measure was too long to include on the ballot. For these five cities, only a summary of the measure is included on the ballot. The full text of the measure is included on a half-sheet insert labeled NOTICE.

Voters in the five contiguous cities should read this language before marking their ballots. The NOTICE insert is not a ballot, and does not need to be marked or returned.

The NOTICE insert is included with all mailed ballots. Voters who live in Hills, Lone Tree, Oxford, Shueyville, Solon, Swisher, West Branch and unincorporated Johnson County will see the full text of their sales tax issue on their ballots, and may ignore the insert.

Status of mailed absentee ballots

Johnson County has experienced some delays in the delivery of mailed absentee ballots. Ballots are on the way to voters and should be delivered this week. Some voters have reported receiving ballots in the mail today.

Due to concerns about ballot delivery during the 2012 presidential election, our office is using a new service provided by our ballot printer to mail and track ballots. We expect this system will save significant expense and staff time as the election continues. However, making sure it is working properly had meant some delay in the beginning of the mailed ballot program.

In the future, we hope to expand this program to allow voters to track the progress of their own mailed ballots. For now, we encourage voters to be patient through the first part of this week. Voter with specific concerns, such as travel plans, should contact our office.

Polling Place Changes Announced

Twelve Johnson County precincts will have different polling places this year than they had in the 2012 presidential election. Five of these changes are new for the November 4 election. The other changes took effect in other recent elections.

Most of these changes are required to increase accessibility for voters with disabilities. Officials in Cedar and Newport Townships are working with our office to make accessibility and other improvements to their long time polling sites, and those precincts will not be moving this election.

The following changes are new for the November 4 election. Voters in these precincts will be mailed new voter cards listing new locations within the next week.

Clear Creek Township and City of Tiffin
New location: Tiffin City Hall, 300 Railroad St. (Old location: Clear Creek Amana High)

Coralville Precinct 2

New Location: Brown Deer Golf Club, 1900 Country Club Dr. (Old location: Grant Wood AEA)

Iowa City Precinct 11

New location: University of Iowa Main Library, 125 W Washington St. (Old location: County Courthouse)

Fremont-Lincoln Townships and City of Lone Tree
New location: American Legion, 300 N. Devoe St. This site was used as a temporary location in the 2013 school and city elections, and will now be a permanent location. (Old location: Lone Tree School)

Graham Township

New Location: Celebration Farm, 4696 Robin Woods Ln NE. (old location: Morse Community Center) Note that Newport Township will still vote at St. Mary’s Newport Church.

The remaining changes were made for other recent elections and voters were mailed cards earlier.

Coralville Precinct 4

Coralville City Hall, 1512 7th St. (Old location: Recreation Center)

City of Hills and Liberty-Pleasant Valley Townships (two separate precincts)

Hills Community Center, 110 Main St E. (Old locations: Hills Fire Station for city of Hills, Hills Elementary School for Liberty-Pleasant Valley)               

Iowa City Precinct 4

School of Art & Art History Building, 150 Art Building West, 141 N Riverside Drive. (Old location: Lincoln School)

Iowa City Precinct 10 and East Lucas Southwest

Terry Trueblood Recreation Area, 4213 Sand Rd SE. (Old location: Iowa City Parks & Forestry)

Iowa City Precinct 16
Mercer Park Recreation Center, 2701 Bradford Dr. (Old location: Lucas School)

City of Solon

Solon City Hall, 101 N Iowa St. (Old location: Fire Station)

Job Opening: Part-time Temporary Elections Clerk

DEPARTMENT:  Auditor

DESCRIPTION:  Part-time temporary elections clerk openings for the Johnson County Auditor's office.  Duties include routine data entry, assisting with early voting, training precinct election officials, scanning and recording election documents, and other duties as assigned. 

QUALIFICATIONS:  Must possess strong communication, organizational, and computer skills.

HOURS:  20-40 hours per week

SALARY:  $10.75/hour (16.13/overtime)

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  Open

HOW TO APPLY:  http://agency.governmentjobs.com/johnsoncountyia/default.cfm and click on the job link.

"Friday Night Lights" Voting at Football Games This Fall

The Johnson County Auditor’s Office will host “Friday Night Lights” satellite voting sites at six high school football games this fall. The Rural Health and Safety Clinic “Votemobile” will visit each high school in the county for one home football game.

The Friday Night Lights sites are only part of a busy early voting schedule for the November 4 election. The Votemobile will also visit three Hy-Vee stores, and satellite sites will be held at other regular locations including University Hospitals, the University of Iowa campus, and area libraries. A full schedule will be announced soon. Early voting for the November 4 election begins September 25.

Hours for the Friday Night Lights sites will vary depending on kickoff times. Game admission is not required to vote, and any voter from anywhere in the county can vote at any site (except Solon). Friday Night Lights dates are:

August 29
At Solon vs. Regina, 4-9 PM
(Voting at this site is for the September 9 Solon School Bond election, not the November 4 general election, so only Solon school district voters are able to vote.)

September 26
At Clear Creek Amana vs. Keokuk

October 3
At Iowa City Regina vs. Columbus

October 10
At Lone Tree vs. Pekin

October 17
At West High vs. Davenport North

October 24
At City High vs. Muscatine

Filing for November 4 Election begins Monday, August 4

Candidates for non-partisan county and township offices on the November 4 general election ballot may file nomination papers at the Auditor’s Office beginning Monday, August 4. The deadline is Wednesday, August 27.

County-wide non-partisan offices are:

• Ag Extension Council: Five to be elected to four year terms; one to be elected in a separate contest to a two year term to fill a vacancy. 
• Soil and Water Conservation Commission - two to be elected to four year terms.

County-wide non-partisan offices require 25 signatures.

Township offices on the November 4 ballot are:

• One clerk - all townships, four year terms
• One trustee - all townships, four year terms.
• Second trustee for two year term to fill vacancy - Fremont, Lincoln, Monroe, Union, and Washington townships. This will be a separate contest from the four year term.

Township offices do not require any petition signatures. Candidates for all county and township offices need to complete an affidavit of candidacy. Free notary service is available at our office.

Candidates for Ag Extension Council and for trustee in Fremont, Lincoln, Monroe, Union, and Washington townships need to indicate if they are seeking the full term or the two year term.

Filing will also be available at our office for the county-wide partisan offices on the November ballot: county attorney, recorder, treasurer and two supervisors. Candidates not representing the two full-status parties (Democrats and Republicans) require 250 signatures. The Republican Party may also nominate additional county candidates by convention through August 27. Democratic Party nominations for all offices were filled in the June 3 primary.

The filing deadline for special city elections in North Liberty, Oxford, and Solon is one day earlier, on Tuesday, August 26. Candidates need to file with city clerks, not at our office. North Liberty requires 25 signatures; Oxford and Solon candidates need 10.

The deadline for federal and state candidates to file with the Secretary of State is August 15.

Nomination papers for all offices are available on the Secretary of State's web site.