Washington County Auditor Dan Widmer is strongly recommending that voters use an absentee ballot for voting in the June 2 primary election. 

His recommendation follows Secretary of State Paul Pate’s recent announcement that his office will mail every registered vote in Iowa and absentee ballot request this month. 

The forms are pre-postage paid and the ballot request must be completed and returned to the auditor’s office before an actual absentee ballot can be sent. 

Widmer said it is preferred that the absentee ballot forms be mailed to the Washington County Auditor, P. O. Box 889, Washington, Iowa 52353. 

Deadline for submitting an absentee ballot form request is 5 p.m. on May 22.  Request forms also may be left in the lockbox at the west entrance of the courthouse at the corner of West Main Street and North Avenue B in Washington.

The completed ballot must be postmarked no later than Monday, June 1.

The affidavit return envelope must be signed by the voter. Ballots also can be dropped off in the west entrance courthouse lockbox. 

Individuals may still vote in person, but there will be only four voting sites in the county.

Locations will be:

• Ainsworth, Brighton, Wards 2 and 3 Washington – Washington High School.

• Kalona and Riverside, Riverside City Hall.

• Wards 1 and 4 Washington, Washington County Courthouse.

• Wellman and West Chester, West Chester Heritage Building.