Pre-18 voter registration in
Iowa
In Iowa 45,624
people turn 18 every year.
Iowans can 
pre-register before turning 18.
To register to vote in Iowa, you must be: 17 years old. That means all eligible seniors and most juniors in your high school can register to vote today and vote at 18*.
*In Iowa, 17-year-olds can vote in primaries if they will be 18 by Nov 3, 2026.
High school students can help one another get ready to vote. 
Next Steps!
How to Register to Vote in Iowa
Upcoming Elections:
- Jun 2nd, 2026 - Iowa Primary Election (Register by May 18th, 2026)
- Nov 3rd, 2026 - Iowa General Election (Register by Oct 19th, 2026)
Useful Links:
- Registration Form - Download the paper registration form for Iowa.
- Registration Status - Check if you are already registered, your polling place, and more from your state’s voter registration website.
- Fair Elections Center - Learn about conducting a registration drive in Iowa.
- Vote 411 - A nonpartisan resource to help you register, preview your ballot, and find key election information from the League of Women Voters.
- VoteRiders - Find out what forms of ID you can use to register and vote, and get help getting a valid form of ID.
Full Registration Details
By Mail: ID Requirements
When submitting your application by mail in Iowa, you are required to provide ONE of the following: Iowa driver’s license number, Iowa non-operators ID number, or last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers, indicate you do not have an ID number.
By Mail: Eligibility Requirements
To register in Iowa you must:
be a United States citizen
be an Iowa resident
be at least 17 years old (you may register to vote if you are at least 17 years old. You may vote if you will be 18 years old on or before Election Day. You may vote in a primary election if you are at least 17 years old and you will be at least 18 years old by the corresponding regular election.)
not have been convicted of a felony (unless your voting rights have been restored)
not currently be judged by a court to be "incompetent to vote"
not claim the right to vote in more than one place
By Mail: New Voter Instructions
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing this registration application, federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote. Proof of identification includes current and valid photo identification OR current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address. More information here.
Online Instructions
To register online in Iowa, you need the last FIVE digits of your Social Security number and either an Iowa Driver’s License or an Iowa Non-operators ID. If you have not been issued a Social Security number or Iowa ID number, you can still submit a voter registration application by mail.
More information here.
Iowa High School Educators!!!
Support your students’ voter registration effort with our free toolkit.
Iowa Requirements for High School Voter Registration
At least twice during each school year, public and private high schools shall offer the opportunity to register to vote to students who are at least 17 years old.
Public and private high schools shall require, as a condition of graduation, that high school students receive instruction in voting statutes and procedures, voter registration requirements, the use of paper ballots and voting systems in the election process, and the method of acquiring and casting an absentee ballot.
About this information
This page presents a curated compilation of voting and election information, specifically geared toward high school students, their families, and educators.
Information about deadlines and voting laws is retrieved via the Democracy Works Elections API and was last retrieved on Mar 30th, 2026; the API compiles election guidance from official government sources and other vetted data providers, and details may change over time. Information concerning requirements for high schools is based on The Civics Center’s analysis of State Requirements for High School Voter Registration and was last updated on Mar 27th, 2026.
See More
Information about youth turning 18 each year is from the U.S. Census, and information on the number of 18-year-olds who have not yet registered is based on applying TCC’s analysis of Census data and state voter files. We also provide links to trusted resources, including VoteRiders (for voter ID information) and Fair Elections Center (for information about laws governing voter registration drives).
These pages are offered for guidance only and are not intended as legal advice. Please consult state election officials or an attorney if you have questions about any particular situation. We hope you find this useful. To cite our resources and original research, please provide links and/or cite The Civics Center.
© 2026 The Civics Center
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