House File 2132 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY PAULSEN Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the tally of absentee votes by precinct. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5273YH 82 4 sc/nh/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 49.31, subsection 7, Code 2007, is 1 2 amended to read as follows: 1 3 7. For the purpose of ballot rotation the absentee ballot 1 4 and special voters precinctmayshall not be considered a 1 5 separate precinct. 1 6 Sec. 2. Section 49.57, Code Supplement 2007, is amended by 1 7 adding the following new subsection: 1 8 NEW SUBSECTION. 8. Absentee ballots counted by hand or 1 9 entered onto voting machines pursuant to section 53.24 shall 1 10 include the resident precinct number of the absentee voter. 1 11 If absentee voting is conducted by means of an optical scan 1 12 voting system, the ballots shall be coded with the resident 1 13 precinct number of the absentee voter. 1 14 Sec. 3. Section 52.33, subsection 1, Code Supplement 2007, 1 15 is amended to read as follows: 1 16 1. In any county in which the board of supervisors has 1 17 adopted voting by means of an optical scan voting system, the 1 18 commissioner shall also conduct absentee voting by use of such 1 19 a system. In any other county, the commissioner may with 1 20 approval of the board of supervisors conduct absentee voting 1 21 by use of an optical scan voting system. All provisions of 1 22 chapter 53 shall apply to such absentee voting, so far as 1 23 applicable. In counties where absentee voting is conducted by 1 24 use of an optical scan voting system, the special precinct 1 25 counting board shall, at the time required by chapter 53, 1 26 prepare absentee ballots for tabulation in the manner 1 27 prescribed by this chapter. In counties where absentee voting 1 28 is conducted by use of an optical scan voting system, the 1 29 tabulating device shall be programmed to produce a report 1 30 showing the resident precinct of the absentee voter. 1 31 Sec. 4. Section 53.23, subsection 2, Code Supplement 2007, 1 32 is amended to read as follows: 1 33 2. The board's powers and duties shall be the same as 1 34 those provided in chapter 50 for precinct election officials 1 35 in regular precinct polling places. However, the election 2 1 board of the special precinct shall receive from the 2 2 commissioner and count all absentee ballots for all precincts 2 3 in the county; when two or more political subdivisions in the 2 4 county hold elections simultaneously the special precinct 2 5 election board shall count absentee ballots cast in all of the 2 6 elections so held. The tally list shall be recorded on forms 2 7 prescribed by the state commissioner. The board shall also 2 8 record a separate tally of the votes for each candidate by 2 9 resident precinct of the absentee voter. The separate tally 2 10 list shall be on a form prescribed by the state commissioner 2 11 and, upon request, shall be made available for public 2 12 inspection. 2 13 EXPLANATION 2 14 This bill provides that the absentee ballot and special 2 15 voters precinct board shall record a separate tally of votes 2 16 by resident precinct of the absentee voter. The separate 2 17 tally shall be available for public inspection upon request. 2 18 LSB 5273YH 82 2 19 sc/nh/5