The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News - Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

Registered voters should be on the lookout for absentee ballot request forms in their mailboxes this month.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is sending the forms to active registered voters ahead of the November election to encourage social distancing at polling places during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tactic was used in June during the primary election, resulting in a record turnout in the Hawkeye State as more than 500,000 votes were cast. The previous record was set at 449,490 in 1994.

"Iowans have options about how they choose to cast their vote," Pate said in a news release. "You can vot...