Polk County has opened a new election office in Des Moines with more space for voters and stronger security measures for ballot storage.
Voters in Polk County who want to vote early in person or turn in an absentee ballot will now go to Polk County River Place on Euclid Avenue. The old election office in downtown Des Moines has closed.
Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald said the new office has space for hundreds of people to line up indoors, avoiding the “long, snaking lines” of early voters sometimes seen on downtown sidewalks.
The new office also has a large, free parking lot — a big change from the paid parking spaces near the old election office.
“When we set it up, we made it for the voters,” Fitzgerald said. “We wanted to make sure the voters had the best experience possible.”
He said ballot storage is more secure at the new location, with a fireproof room to hold completed ballots. Polk County residents who vote early at the new office will be able to place their ballots directly in a metal ballot box that empties into the fireproof room, which requires a keycard to enter.
There is also an absentee ballot drop box outside of the building.
Polk County Board of Supervisors Chair Matt McCoy said fixing structural problems at the old election office would have cost about $1 million. He said creating the new election office in a newer, county-owned building saved taxpayers about $500,000.
“While sending a strong message to individuals that elections matter, that we care about where we have our early voting take place and we care about the integrity of the process,” McCoy said.
Early voting for city and school elections begins Wednesday, Oct. 15.
