Category: News

OTTUMWA — Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said he’s spoken to more than 100 groups before upgrading security for election results. The goal, he said, was to be both secure and inclusive.

Pate was in Ottumwa Friday leading a “Voter Ready” roundtable discussion. Along with staff from his office, his local contact, Wapello County Auditor Kelly Spurgeon, was in the room.

Auditors control the election in each of the state’s 99 counties. They are overseen by the SOS.

“This is not the same system as … any other state,” said Pate.

This program, which includes asking for identification at the polls, will require upgraded notebook computers: Pate’s office has already distributed those to the 99 counties

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OSKALOOSA — Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate visited Oskaloosa recently with a message: Be ready to vote.

This year is a soft roll-out of new voting requirements, Pate said, in order to inform as many people as possible and to give election officials the opportunity to fine-tune the system.

“We want people to understand it’s as simple as registering to vote, having an ID and voting. Those three basic steps,” he said. “Voter registration as you know it has not changed a bit. It’s still the same. People get mixed up. We’re not changing voter registration.”

Pate particularly emphasized the need for college and university students to be prepared before hitting the polls. And to prepare early.

William Penn University Director of Athletics and Student Life Nik Rule said many Penn students are from out of state and have out of state driver’s licenses and asked whether students would have any stumbling blocks with registration.

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