Vote early? Linn County has an app for that

CEDAR RAPIDS — If you want to vote early and quickly in this election in Linn County, there's an app for that.

Early voters in the county are using a simple but effective app that is speeding up lines for tens of thousands at a satellite center at Lindale Mall and the Linn County Auditor's Office.

Today is the last day to vote early for Tuesday's election. In Linn County, early voting today can only be cast at the auditor's office, 935 Second St. SW in Cedar Rapids, as satellite voting has ended.

How it works

Previously, early voters were asked to fill out a postal vote request form by hand. Now they can do it in about 30 seconds with a few taps – and the time it takes to fill out a form is cut by at least half.

With rows of iPads lining tables at polling stations, early voters used touchscreens to confirm their eligibility with a few taps. The application asked them to certify that they want to vote early in Tuesday's general election, that they are residents of Linn County and that the information on their driver's license or Iowa non-driver identification card is accurate.

Then they simply place their ID card on a table with the barcode facing up so that the iPad's camera can scan it. The program checks state residency, address, date of birth and expiration date – all contained in the barcode on the back of the Iowa ID. Voters whose IDs contain outdated addresses will still need to fill out a form by hand.

Absentee ballot request forms are then printed, signed by voters, and presented to poll workers, who verify the information, check in voters, and issue them a ballot. The legibly printed form reduces errors and helps the hundreds of poll workers in Linn County read them quickly.

“It's really a time saver, not only for the voters who come in, but also for the people who get the form,” Linn County Auditor Joel Miller said. “It’s really helpful, everyone is impressed with it.”

According to Matt Warfield, Linn County's deputy elections commissioner, one of the most significant benefits lies in the backend of data processing. Warfield, who developed the app, pointed out that the QR codes printed on each form allow the Linn County Auditor's Office to easily and accurately reference a voter's record or read the voter information on the form to ensure that it will be properly updated when necessary.

The nature of the app also addresses common concerns about election security. The app is not connected to the internet and does not store data after a voter completes the process.

“We take an iPad and turn it into pens,” Miller said.

How it happened

The development was triggered by the district's efforts to make elections more efficient. In addition to the new simple technology, the county has invested in other equipment in recent years, such as high-speed optical scanners and ballot openers, to speed up the vote-counting process.

And because the office had old iPads on hand after upgrading its technology, implementing the new app cost the county no new money.

In some cases, increased efficiency with new equipment and technology has reduced the need for poll workers, Miller said.

The custom app, developed in Warfield's personal time, is free to use only in Linn County. Warfield said he might consider marketing the app through his own company after this election.

Miller expects 30,000 voters in Linn County to cast their ballots early before Election Day – about a third of registered voters. On election day, the approximately 45,000 to 50,000 postal voters who cast their votes by postal vote will also be counted. These must be returned to the auditors by 8 p.m. Tuesday, when the polls close.

Since 2016, Iowa lawmakers have shortened the early voting period from 40 to 20 days, leading to more concentrated voting. With up to 50 people lining up each day for the past week at the Lindale Mall satellite facility, Linn County's largest satellite site, which closed Sunday, the time saved during the process was significant not only for poll workers, but also for ordinary citizens priceless value of their days.

“The proof is in the final product,” Miller said.

Comments: Reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or [email protected].