Des Moines – Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz is encouraging Iowans to vote early today, Tuesday, June 3, for the primary election due to warnings by the National Weather Service and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management of possible severe weather in parts of Iowa later today.

“With the warnings of possible severe weather tonight, I encourage Iowans to vote early today if possible. Safety is the number one priority and county auditors are ready and prepared to take necessary precautions in case severe weather hits,” Schultz said.

In the event of a weather emergency, the first priority is to keep poll workers and voters at the polling place safe. Precinct election officials and voters should either seek shelter or evacuate the polling place as appropriate based on the conditions in their area. As soon as the threat is over, polling places that are temporarily evacuated or closed must be reopened as quickly as possible.

If a polling place loses power for an extended period of time and must be relocated, the Iowa Secretary of State’s office should be consulted and procedures in 721 Iowa Administrative Code 21.1(5) should be followed. Polling place hours may only be extended by federal or state courts for elections in which candidates for federal office appear on the ballot. Should a court extend the hours, provisional ballots will be cast by any person who votes after the regular 9 p.m. poll closing.