Johnson County Auditor's Office Discovers and Counts Overlooked Absentee Ballots
The Johnson County Auditor's Office in Iowa, led by Auditor Julie Persons, announced on Sunday, November 8, 2026, that it had completed the counting of 36,138 absentee ballots. These ballots were cast in the recent General Election. The discovery of these ballots occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026, during routine post-election duties, when approximately 2,000 ballots were found still boxed and unopened in a secure ballot storage room. Following this discovery, the Auditor's Office promptly informed the Johnson County Attorney's Office and the Iowa Secretary of State's Office. Officials from these offices reviewed the situation and devised a plan to ensure the overlooked ballots were counted and included in the total results, which are scheduled for canvassing on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Tabulation of these ballots commenced on Friday, November 6, 2026, and concluded on Sunday, November 8, 2026. The results have since been uploaded and are accessible on the Secretary of State’s website.