The Iowa Secretary of State (State Commissioner of Elections) has stated that Centers for Disease Control (CDC) encourages social distancing, so voters in Iowa are being asked to consider voting absentee by mail.  On Tuesday, March 31st, the Secretary of State announced he had decided to commit to a statewide mailing of absentee ballot request forms for the June 2, 2020 Primary Election.  “The mailing will go to each active registered voter in Iowa, and the forms will be postage paid for return mailing to County Auditors.”

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman recommends that the voters of Cass County take advantage of the right to vote early by mail.  You may apply for an absentee ballot now, but ballots will not be mailed until on or after April 23rd.  Absentee ballot request forms are available on the website of the Iowa Secretary of State  (https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/absenteeinfo.html) or you may contact the Cass County Auditor and have a form mailed or emailed to you.  Phone: 712-243-4570.

The CDC also believes that people aged 65 years and older may be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID- 19 and should stay home and avoid close contact. A majority of Iowa’s Precinct Election Officials (PEOs) are older than 65, and several PEOs, statewide, are declining to serve as PEOs for this primary election.  In response, the State has temporarily waived some of the restrictions in regard to the combining of voting precincts.  For this and other reasons, the majority of County Auditors in Iowa are combining precincts for the 2020 Primary.

The Cass County Auditor (Local Commissioner of Elections) has decided to combine the regular 13 Cass County voting precincts into 5 combined precincts and chosen voting locations which he believes will best serve the voters of Cass County.  Those combined precincts and voting locations are (twp=Township):

• COMBINED PRECINCT 1: Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th); for voters in Atlantic 1st Ward & the Brighton, Grove, Pymosa, Washington Twp/Marne.
• COMBINED PRECINCT 2: Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th); for voters in Atlantic Wards 2,3, 4 & 5.
• COMBINED PRECINCT 3: Griswold Community Bldg. (601 2nd St); for voters in the Bear Grove, Cass Twp/Lewis; Edna, Victoria Twp & Noble, Pleasant Twp/Griswold
• COMBINED PRECINCT 4: Anita Community Center (805 Main St); for voter in the Benton, Franklin Twp/Wiota & Grant, Lincoln Twp /Anita.
• COMBINED PRECINCT 5: Cumberland Community Bldg. (200 W 2nd); for voters in the Massena Twp/City of Massena & Union Twp/City of Cumberland.