With the state of Iowa recognizing the difficulty that elections have posed and will pose this year, they are opening their coffers to county auditors to help lighten the burden. Wright County Auditor Betty Ellis reports that the county has received a grant amounting to $16,600 for the upcoming election.
Ellis explains that the state decided to give counties grant moneys of $600 per precinct. Since Wright County has eleven precincts, this means $16,600 to use toward the election. Ellis notes that this is in addition to $3,300 that they also received for the primary back in June.
With those funds, the auditor says they have made various purchases to make election business easier and safer. For her office this includes equipment like a folding machine, envelope opener and a ballot scanner. Ellis emphasized, “With over 2,000 requests for absentee ballots so far, such equipment makes handling all the forms and mail easier.”
She has also used funds for various protective measures, such as a plexiglass barrier in the auditor’s office and other PPE. Ellis added that the state is again providing masks, face shields and sanitizer in addition to the grant to be used by poll workers and at the precincts.
Additionally, Ellis explained that she had applied and received another grant that is proving helpful. This one was for $6,550 and came from a non-profit group. The funds were designated to be used for voter education.
Ellis says she is finding various ways to use that grant as she works to inform voters of timelines, election security, and voter safety. This has entailed running ads in the county papers and even planning to have her office open the two Saturday’s before the election from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
As November 3 looms, the auditor’s office has already sent out many of the over 2,000 requested absentee ballots. Ellis encourages people to mail back ballots as soon as they can. There is also a drop box in the auditor’s office if people don’t want to put their ballot in the mail. Absentee ballot requests must be mailed by October 24. Completed ballots must be postmarked by November 2. In-person absentee voting is also an option at the auditor’s office, though Ellis says to plan ahead if you decide to do that since the office only fits a person or two at once.
She emphasizes that people can check on the status of a ballot request or the ballot itself by visiting the website: sos.iowa.gov/elections/absenteeballotstatus/
The polls will be open for regular election day voting as well. All polls are in their usual locations accept the precincts that usually vote at the courthouse. The polling place for those will be the Red Shed Event Center.
Though it has been a busy last several months of preparation, Ellis says she is confident Wright County is well prepared for the election and that everyone’s vote will be safe and counted.
