IOWA- Iowans are getting some unexpected news in the mail about voting and without action, they might find voting again difficult.
Secretary of State Paul Pate is mailing notices to voters who have not voted in an election in the past four years. These notices require an "affirmative response" to the state to prevent their registration from becoming "inactive".
In a press release, Secretary Pate says the "no activity in 4 years" notice is a federal law intended to clean up the voting polls in Iowa.
The Scott County auditor says her office is already updates voting lists and this notification shouldn't stop people from casting a ballot.
If you've received the letter, the Iowa secretary of state's office says you should fill out the form and return it as soon as possible. Those who receive the mailing need to fill out and return the card if their address has changed.
“This mailing is part of the routine process we undertake to ensure our voter rolls are as accurate as possible," Pate said. "It’s a crucial component for having clean and fair elections across the state.”
If your registration does become inactive, reactivate it by registering to vote again, requesting an absentee ballot, making a change to the information on your registration, or bring an identification document with a proof-of-address, next time you vote.