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UpdateIowaSunday, November 1, 2026

Dubuque County officials said election systems are secure

Reporting by
Telegraph Herald
“Experts, officials agree local elections are secure”, Sunday, November 1, 2026
Read the full story
What happened

Local officials and political experts said election systems in Dubuque County and across the country are secure ahead of the midterm election. Leaders pointed to the processes of counting and verifying votes in and around Dubuque County as well protected from risks that could compromise an election's integrity.1

What it means in Iowa

How votes are counted and verified in Iowa

The county board of supervisors receives the results from the county auditor, canvasses them and sends them to the Secretary of State.2 The State Canvassing Board, made up of the Governor, the Secretary of State, the Treasurer, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Auditor, compiles the official abstract and certifies the results, and the Governor issues certificates to the winners.2 Counties canvass within 13 days of the election, by November 16.3

Key dates in Iowa

Election Day in 1 day
  1. Wed, Oct 14 · passed
    Early voting begins
  2. Mon, Oct 19 · passed
    Last day for mail ballot applications
  3. Tue, Nov 3 · 1 day
    Election Day; Registration deadline; Mail ballots must arrive
  4. Mon, Nov 16 · 14 days
    County/Local certification
  5. Mon, Nov 30 · 28 days
    State certification

Every date in Iowa, and who certifies the election

More on this story
Iowa · Nov 1
Iowa officials said upcoming election is safe and secure
Reporting by River Cities' Reader
Iowa · Oct 31
RNC sued Black Hawk County auditor over voting machine records
Reporting by KCRG News (Cedar Rapids)
The answers behind this
Voting machines and election securityVoting in Iowa, 2026Who certifies the election in Iowa, and by when?What is the difference between counting the votes and certifying them?

Explore this issue

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Sources

  1. Telegraph Herald, https://telegraphherald.com/news/tri-state/article_6300217b-c11d-4988-b09d-95d7fd8add37.html · Sunday, November 1, 2026
  2. Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
  3. NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines

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