After losing my 2020 Congressional race by just six votes, I know firsthand how close elections can be and how important it is that every Iowan votes in 2024.

Iowans have a chance to vote in four Congressional races that could determine who gets the majority party of the U.S. House of Representatives and how much our next President can accomplish during his or her first two years.

There’s so much on the line, from securing reproductive freedom nationwide to the survival of the Department of Education, the future of Medicare and Social Security, and even the ability to negotiate for prescription drugs and keep the price of insulin under $35 a month. That doesn’t even scratch the surface of what we can get done at the local level.

That’s why I wanted to let you know you can request your absentee ballot now. Voting from home is safe, convenient, and secure.

To request your absentee ballot, go to your local county auditor’s office. Remember to bring a valid form of identification. If you’re a new voter or need to register to vote, you will need to bring a document like your utility bill so you can prove your place of residence.

You can also print an absentee ballot request form from the Iowa Secretary of State’s website, sos.iowa.gov and mail it to your local county auditor.

Within the last two years, the Iowa Democratic Party has been working hard to lay the groundwork and we have put in the time and energy into the party itself so we can get out the vote.

This includes working with our county parties, which are the foundation of the party itself. Reach out to your county party to get involved, to get local information, or to talk about your local candidates today. Your county party is run by your friends and neighbors who volunteer because they understand the power of the voting booth and recognize that local representation really matters. The work that they do is vital to the democratic process.

This year, the Iowa Democratic Party has raised more money than the Republican Party every quarter. While working on strengthening our party, we’ve also helped get Democrats like Kimberly Sheets elected in Warren County, sold out our largest fundraising event – the Liberty and Justice Dinner – two years in a row, and we are building stronger relationships than ever with our Democratic leaders like Jennifer Konfrst, Pam Jochum and Rob Sand.

These successes and relationships are vital as we look to pick up more seats in the Iowa House and Senate this year, and we begin our long journey to regaining a Democratic majority.

The Iowa legislature has been under Republican control for so long that they have become extremely partisan and no longer fairly represent the majority of Iowans.

Their extreme policies ban abortions at six weeks, give millions of dollars to private schools, cut our Area Education Agencies that provide crucial services to Iowa’s children and families, and fail to feed Iowa’s children who are going hungry through no fault of their own.

The only way to bring some common sense and balance back to our state legislature is to elect some Democrats so that bipartisanship has a fighting chance.

I hope you’ll consider requesting your absentee ballot now, or make your plan to vote at IowaDemocrats.org/PlanYourVote.

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Rita Hart is the chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party.