Football Coaches Tell Iowans to Get An Election Day Game Plan

Iowa's top college football coaches appear in public service announcements to encourage voters to have a "game plan" to vote early or to get to the polls on November 8, 2022.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate has teamed up with the University of Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz, Iowa State Cyclone Coach Matt Campbell, UNI Panther Coach Mark Farley, and Drake University Bulldog Coach Todd Stepsis in an attempt to raise voter awareness and encourage preparation in advance of election day.

The coaches speak from the same script and encourage Iowans to have a game plan in place to get registered and vote. The ads deliver a general public service message encouraging people to participate in the process while avoiding giving any sense of each coach's politics. 

It's hard to know what impacts each coach's message will have on voters or where the ads are being seen, but the coaches are likely as trusted public figures as you'll find in the state, and they hold sway over football fans.

Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz encourages voters to have an election-day game plan.

Heeding the head coach's call, it's essential for voters to get registered. But how does one do that?

Dubuque County Residents may register at the Dubuque County Elections Office at the courthouse, 720 Central Ave., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Online Voter Registration is likely the second most straightforward path to becoming an Iowa voter. Using the link, scroll down the page and fill out the online form. 

Your Iowa driver's license or ID number is required to register to vote or to update your voter registration online.

Or You may register by mail to vote in Iowa by printing a voter registration form, filling it out, and mailing it to your local election office. Of course, you can also register to vote in person if you prefer.

You will receive your voter registration card from your county auditor within two weeks.

Iowans may register and vote on election day. However, on election day, you must go to the correct polling place for your current address. Find Your Precinct/Polling Place on the Secretary of State's website if you are unsure of your polling place.

While election day registration is helpful, The best way to do this is with your valid Iowa driver’s license with your current address. Click here for more election day registration information.

Deadlines for the November 8, 2022, election:

Registration deadlines

• In-person at a voting location on Election Day: November 8
• Online: October 24 by 5:00 p.m. CDT
• By mail (postmarked by): October 24

Absentee ballot deadlines

• Request ballot (received by): October 24 by 5:00 p.m. CDT
• Return ballot by mail (received by): November 8 by 8:00 p.m. CST
• Return ballot in person: November 8 by 8:00 p.m. CST

Voting deadlines

• Early voting (in-person absentee voting): October 19 - November 7
• In-person: Nov 8

To qualify to register to vote in Iowa, you must be:

• A U.S. citizen, and
• An Iowa resident.

You cannot:

• Be a convicted felon (unless your voting rights have been restored),
• Be judged mentally incompetent to vote by a court, or
• Claim the right to vote in any other place

A Message to Voters from Iowa State Auditor Paul Pate - For more information visit sos.iowa.gov

Iowa State Coach Campbell

Northern Iowa Coach Farley

Drake Coach Stepsis