Johnson County Auditor Julie Persons announced today, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, that the county completed counting 36,138 absentee ballots cast in Tuesday’s General Election.

Persons said during routine post-election duties on Thursday, Nov. 5, that approximately 2,000 ballots were found still boxed and unopened in the secure ballot storage room. After the discovery, the Johnson County Auditor’s Office immediately informed the Johnson County Attorney’s Office and the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office. The officials reviewed the situation and determined a plan to ensure the voters’ ballots would be counted and included in the total results to be canvassed on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. 

Tabulation commenced Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, and concluded Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. Results have been uploaded and can be viewed on the Secretary of State’s website here.

The counting of these ballots did not change any outcomes for state, federal, county, or township races.  This also has no effect on the outcomes of the state amendment or any ballot measures. 

“My office has reviewed the situation and identified how the ballots were overlooked. At no time was the chain of custody broken on these ballots. They remained secure in the ballot storage room,” said Persons. “We are updating absentee ballot counting procedures to ensure this does not happen again.”

The absentee board will reconvene Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, to complete the UOCAVA ballots and any provisional ballots that have been cured.  The results of the November 3, 2026 General Election will be canvassed at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026.  The canvass will be streamed and recorded at https://johnsoncountyiowa.gov/meetings.