Corning – Adams County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Becky Bissell is encouraging those wishing to vote in the June 2 Primary Election to vote absentee by mail due to the recent concerns with coronavirus and COVID-19.

“I am respectfully asking our voters to vote absentee by mail for the June Primary Election after meeting with public health officials, other county auditors around Iowa and with staff from the Secretary of State’s office,” Bissell said. “We are making this push for the safety of our voters and polling location workers.”

Bissell said polling locations will be open for voting on June 2, however she anticipates many will be combined creating fewer polling locations than normal for a Primary Election. “We aren’t sure what this situation will be when Election Day gets here,” Bissell explained. “We hope all of our precinct election officials will be able to work that day, but we just don’t know at this point so we will reduce the number of polling locations that we will need to staff.” Bissell said it has not yet been determined which polling locations will be combined. She said that will be announced soon.

Absentee ballots must be requested in writing. Forms are available on the Adams County Web site at https://www.adamscountyia.com/departments/adams-county-auditor/election-information/. Absentee ballot requests may also be obtained by calling the Adams County Auditor’s Office and requesting one be sent. The Adams County Auditor’s Office phone number is 641-322-3340. Requests may be submitted now. Absentee requests to vote by mail must be received in the Auditor’s Office by 5 p.m. May 22.

Voters are reminded that for the Primary Election they must choose a political party on the request form in order to receive the correct ballot. Absentee voters are also reminded they will need to provide a personal identification number (PIN) when voting absentee either in person or by mail. That PIN will most likely be your Iowa driver’s license number or your Iowa non-operator’s ID number. If a voter does not have either of those, the voter should have been sent a PIN from the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office.

Please remember that the Auditor’s Office is always available to answer your questions and concerns by phone during regular business hours of 8:30-4:30, Monday through Friday, at 641-322-3340. For more information about the 2020 Primary Election follow Adams County Facebook posts and the Adams County website at https://www.adamscountyia.com/.