Des Moines – Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz is reminding Iowa voters that early voting for the November 4, 2014 general election starts on Thursday, September 25. Schultz says “I hope all eligible Iowans take full advantage of their right to vote by registering to vote and casting a ballot either early in-person, by mail or at the polls on Election Day. Every vote counts and it’s important that Iowans participate to make sure their voices are heard.”

To vote in Iowa, eligible voters can:

· Cast a ballot early by filling out an absentee ballot in-person at their county auditor’s office or at possible satellite locations as designated by the county auditor starting Thursday, September 25 through Monday, November 3.

· Request an absentee ballot by mail.

· Vote at their designated precinct polling place on Election Day.

Registering to vote is easy. Simply download the State of Iowa Official Voter Registration Form from www.sos.iowa.gov and return it to your local county auditor’s office or visit your local county auditor’s office to fill out a paper copy.

Absentee ballots received by the county auditor before 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4 are eligible for counting. Absentee ballots that are returned by mail and received after the polls close must have a postmark of Monday, November 3 or earlier to be considered for counting.

The Iowa Secretary of State’s office offers a comprehensive app called Iowa SOS available for both Android and Apple devices to ensure voting resources are at voter’s fingertips. From the Iowa SOS app, Iowans can do the following:

Check voter registration information
Fill out the State of Iowa Official Voter Registration Form
Find the correct polling place for the general election
Request an absentee ballot
Track an absentee ballot
Set email or calendar reminders for upcoming elections
Report voter fraud
Contact local County Auditors
Contact the Iowa Secretary of State’s office