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Senate File 487 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to special elections to fill vacancies in
2county boards of supervisors and city elective offices, and
3including applicability provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 331.306, subsection 1, Code 2023, is
2amended to read as follows:
31. a. If a petition of the voters is authorized by this
4chapter, the petition is valid if signed by eligible electors
5of the county equal in number to at least ten percent of the
6votes cast in the county for the office of president of the
7United States or governor at the preceding general election,
8unless otherwise provided by state law, and except as provided
9in paragraph “b”. The petition shall include the signatures of
10the petitioners, a statement of their place of residence, and
11the date on which they signed the petition.
12b. A petition to fill a vacancy in the office of county
13supervisor by a special election filed pursuant to section
1469.14A, subsection 1, must be signed by eligible electors of
15the county equal in number to at least two percent of the
16votes cast in the county for the office of president of the
17United States or governor at the preceding general election or
18the number of signatures required for nomination of a county
19supervisor pursuant to section 45.1, whichever is greater.
20 Sec. 2. Section 372.13, subsection 2, paragraph a,
21subparagraph (2), subparagraph divisions (a), (b), and (c),
22Code 2023, are amended to read as follows:
23(a) For a city with a population of ten thousand or less,
24at least two hundred signatures or at least the number of
25signatures equal to fifteen two percent of the voters who voted
26for candidates for the office at the preceding regular election
27at which the office was on the ballot, whichever number is
28fewer.
29(b) For a city with a population of more than ten thousand
30but not more than fifty thousand, at least one thousand
31signatures or at least the number of signatures equal to
32fifteen two percent of the voters who voted for candidates
33for the office at the preceding regular election at which the
34office was on the ballot, whichever number is fewer.
35(c) For a city with a population of more than fifty
-1-1thousand, at least two thousand signatures or at least the
2number of signatures equal to ten two percent of the voters who
3voted for candidates for the office at the preceding regular
4election at which the office was on the ballot, whichever
5number is fewer.
6 Sec. 3. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to vacancies in
7county boards of supervisors and city elective offices arising
8on or after the effective date of this Act.
9EXPLANATION
10The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
11the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
12This bill relates to special elections to fill vacancies in
13county boards of supervisors and elective city offices. The
14bill changes the number of signatures required on a petition to
15fill a vacancy in the office of county supervisor by a special
16election from 10 percent of the votes cast in the county
17for office of president or governor at the preceding general
18election to 2 percent or the number of signatures required for
19nomination of a county supervisor, whichever is greater. The
20bill also changes the signature requirements for a petition to
21fill a vacancy in an elective city office to 2 percent of the
22voters who voted for candidates for the office at the preceding
23regular election at which the office was on the ballot. The
24bill does not change alternate minimum signature requirements
25based on city size.
26The bill applies to vacancies in county boards of
27supervisors and city elective offices arising on or after the
28effective date of the bill.
-2-ss/ns
2county boards of supervisors and city elective offices, and
3including applicability provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 331.306, subsection 1, Code 2023, is
2amended to read as follows:
31. a. If a petition of the voters is authorized by this
4chapter, the petition is valid if signed by eligible electors
5of the county equal in number to at least ten percent of the
6votes cast in the county for the office of president of the
7United States or governor at the preceding general election,
8unless otherwise provided by state law, and except as provided
9in paragraph “b”. The petition shall include the signatures of
10the petitioners, a statement of their place of residence, and
11the date on which they signed the petition.
12b. A petition to fill a vacancy in the office of county
13supervisor by a special election filed pursuant to section
1469.14A, subsection 1, must be signed by eligible electors of
15the county equal in number to at least two percent of the
16votes cast in the county for the office of president of the
17United States or governor at the preceding general election or
18the number of signatures required for nomination of a county
19supervisor pursuant to section 45.1, whichever is greater.
20 Sec. 2. Section 372.13, subsection 2, paragraph a,
21subparagraph (2), subparagraph divisions (a), (b), and (c),
22Code 2023, are amended to read as follows:
23(a) For a city with a population of ten thousand or less,
24at least two hundred signatures or at least the number of
25signatures equal to fifteen two percent of the voters who voted
26for candidates for the office at the preceding regular election
27at which the office was on the ballot, whichever number is
28fewer.
29(b) For a city with a population of more than ten thousand
30but not more than fifty thousand, at least one thousand
31signatures or at least the number of signatures equal to
32fifteen two percent of the voters who voted for candidates
33for the office at the preceding regular election at which the
34office was on the ballot, whichever number is fewer.
35(c) For a city with a population of more than fifty
-1-1thousand, at least two thousand signatures or at least the
2number of signatures equal to ten two percent of the voters who
3voted for candidates for the office at the preceding regular
4election at which the office was on the ballot, whichever
5number is fewer.
6 Sec. 3. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to vacancies in
7county boards of supervisors and city elective offices arising
8on or after the effective date of this Act.
9EXPLANATION
10The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
11the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
12This bill relates to special elections to fill vacancies in
13county boards of supervisors and elective city offices. The
14bill changes the number of signatures required on a petition to
15fill a vacancy in the office of county supervisor by a special
16election from 10 percent of the votes cast in the county
17for office of president or governor at the preceding general
18election to 2 percent or the number of signatures required for
19nomination of a county supervisor, whichever is greater. The
20bill also changes the signature requirements for a petition to
21fill a vacancy in an elective city office to 2 percent of the
22voters who voted for candidates for the office at the preceding
23regular election at which the office was on the ballot. The
24bill does not change alternate minimum signature requirements
25based on city size.
26The bill applies to vacancies in county boards of
27supervisors and city elective offices arising on or after the
28effective date of the bill.
-2-ss/ns