House
File
55
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
55
BY
HUNTER
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
allowing
registered
voters
to
make
applications
for
1
absentee
ballots
through
electronic
means
and
making
2
penalties
applicable.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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Section
1.
Section
47.2,
Code
2017,
is
amended
by
adding
the
1
following
new
subsection:
2
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
7.
The
commissioner
shall
provide
for
3
the
submission
of
electronic
absentee
ballot
applications
on
4
the
commissioner’s
internet
site
pursuant
to
section
53.2,
5
subsection
1,
paragraph
“c”
.
6
Sec.
2.
Section
53.2,
subsection
1,
Code
2017,
is
amended
by
7
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
8
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
c.
A
registered
voter
may
apply
to
the
9
commissioner
for
an
absentee
ballot
through
electronic
means
10
either
through
electronic
mail
sent
to
the
commissioner
or
11
through
the
commissioner’s
internet
site.
An
electronic
12
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
must
be
received
by
the
13
commissioner
no
later
than
5:00
p.m.
on
the
Friday
before
the
14
election.
An
electronic
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
15
received
by
the
commissioner
more
than
seventy
days
prior
to
16
the
date
of
the
election
shall
be
retained
by
the
commissioner
17
and
processed
in
the
same
manner
as
an
electronic
application
18
received
not
more
than
seventy
days
before
the
date
of
the
19
election.
20
Sec.
3.
Section
53.2,
subsection
4,
Code
2017,
is
amended
21
to
read
as
follows:
22
4.
a.
Each
application
shall
contain
the
name
and
signature
23
of
the
registered
voter,
the
registered
voter’s
date
of
birth,
24
the
address
at
which
the
voter
is
registered
to
vote,
and
the
25
name
or
date
of
the
election
for
which
the
absentee
ballot
is
26
requested,
and
such
other
information
as
may
be
necessary
to
27
determine
the
correct
absentee
ballot
for
the
registered
voter.
28
If
insufficient
information
has
been
provided,
either
on
the
29
prescribed
form
or
on
an
application
created
by
the
applicant,
30
the
commissioner
shall,
by
the
best
means
available,
obtain
the
31
additional
necessary
information.
32
b.
In
addition
to
the
other
requirements
of
this
section:
33
(1)
An
application
received
pursuant
to
subsection
1,
34
paragraph
“a”
or
“b”
,
shall
contain
the
signature
of
the
35
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55
registered
voter.
1
(2)
An
application
received
pursuant
to
subsection
1,
2
paragraph
“c”
,
shall
include
at
least
one
of
the
following:
3
(a)
The
Iowa
driver’s
license
number
of
the
registered
4
voter.
5
(b)
The
Iowa
nonoperator’s
identification
card
number
of
6
the
registered
voter.
7
(c)
The
last
four
numerals
of
the
registered
voter’s
social
8
security
number.
9
EXPLANATION
10
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
11
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
12
This
bill
allows
registered
voters
to
make
applications
for
13
absentee
ballots
through
electronic
means.
Under
the
bill,
a
14
registered
voter
may
apply
to
the
commissioner
for
an
absentee
15
ballot
either
through
electronic
mail
or
through
the
county
16
commissioner
of
election’s
internet
site.
17
An
electronic
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
must
be
18
received
no
later
than
5:00
p.m.
on
the
Friday
before
the
19
election.
If
the
commissioner
receives
such
an
application
20
more
than
70
days
prior
to
the
date
of
the
election,
the
21
commissioner
is
required
to
retain
the
application
and
process
22
it
in
the
same
manner
as
an
electronic
application
received
23
not
more
than
70
days
before
the
date
of
the
election.
These
24
provisions
are
the
same
as
those
for
written
applications
under
25
current
law.
26
An
electronic
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
is
27
required
to
contain
all
of
the
same
information
as
a
written
28
application,
except
that,
in
lieu
of
the
registered
voter’s
29
signature,
an
electronic
application
is
required
to
include
30
the
registered
voter’s
Iowa
driver’s
license
number,
Iowa
31
nonoperator’s
identification
card
number,
or
the
last
four
32
numerals
of
the
registered
voter’s
social
security
number.
33
Under
current
law,
a
person
commits
election
misconduct
34
in
the
first
degree
if
the
person
makes
a
false
or
untrue
35
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statement
in
an
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
or
makes
or
1
signs
a
false
certification
or
affidavit
in
connection
with
2
an
absentee
ballot.
Election
misconduct
in
the
first
degree
3
is
a
class
“D”
felony.
A
class
“D”
felony
is
punishable
by
4
confinement
for
no
more
than
five
years
and
a
fine
of
at
least
5
$750
but
not
more
than
$7,500.
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