House File 954 H-1152 Amend House File 954 as follows: 1 1. By striking page 1, line 1, through page 2, line 26, and 2 inserting: 3 < DIVISION I 4 ADMINISTRATION OF ELECTIONS 5 Section 1. Section 9E.6, subsection 3, paragraph b, 6 subparagraph (1), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 7 (1) The state commissioner of elections shall, upon 8 the written request of a party to the contest, certify the 9 eligibility of a program participant to vote or the validity 10 of a program participant’s absentee ballot. A written request 11 submitted under this paragraph “b” must contain the voter 12 voter’s four-digit personal identification number affixed to 13 the program participant’s absentee ballot. 14 Sec. ___. Section 39.2, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 15 2025, is amended to read as follows: 16 a. All special elections which are authorized or required 17 by law, unless the applicable law otherwise requires, shall 18 be held on Tuesday. A special election shall not be held on 19 the first, second, third, and fourth Tuesdays preceding and 20 following the primary and the general elections or on the 21 first, second, and third Tuesdays preceding and following a 22 city or school election . 23 Sec. ___. Section 43.18, subsection 9, Code 2025, is amended 24 to read as follows: 25 9. A statement that the candidate is aware that the 26 candidate is disqualified from holding office if the candidate 27 has been convicted of a felony or other infamous crime and 28 the candidate’s rights have not been restored by the governor 29 or by the president of the United States. This subsection 30 does not apply to candidates for federal office. The state 31 commissioner shall prescribe a separate affidavit of candidacy 32 for candidates for federal office. 33 Sec. ___. Section 43.67, subsection 2, paragraph i, Code 34 2025, is amended to read as follows: 35 -1- HF 954.1131 (2) 91 ss/ns 1/ 8 #1.

i. A statement that the candidate is aware that the 1 candidate is disqualified from holding office if the candidate 2 has been convicted of a felony or other infamous crime and 3 the candidate’s rights have not been restored by the governor 4 or by the president of the United States. This paragraph 5 does not apply to candidates for federal office. The state 6 commissioner shall prescribe a separate affidavit of candidacy 7 for candidates for federal office. 8 Sec. ___. Section 44.3, subsection 2, paragraph i, Code 9 2025, is amended to read as follows: 10 i. A statement that the candidate is aware that the 11 candidate is disqualified from holding office if the candidate 12 has been convicted of a felony or other infamous crime and 13 the candidate’s rights have not been restored by the governor 14 or by the president of the United States. This paragraph 15 does not apply to candidates for federal office. The state 16 commissioner shall prescribe a separate affidavit of candidacy 17 for candidates for federal office. 18 Sec. ___. Section 45.3, subsection 9, Code 2025, is amended 19 to read as follows: 20 9. A statement that the candidate is aware that the 21 candidate is disqualified from holding office if the candidate 22 has been convicted of a felony or other infamous crime and 23 the candidate’s rights have not been restored by the governor 24 or by the president of the United States. This subsection 25 does not apply to candidates for federal office. The state 26 commissioner shall prescribe a separate affidavit of candidacy 27 for candidates for federal office. 28 Sec. ___. Section 47.1, subsections 1, 6, 7, and 8, Code 29 2025, are amended to read as follows: 30 1. The secretary of state is designated as the state 31 commissioner of elections and shall supervise the activities of 32 the county commissioners of elections. There is established 33 within the office of the secretary of state a division of 34 elections which shall be under the direction of the state 35 -2- HF 954.1131 (2) 91 ss/ns 2/ 8

commissioner of elections. The state commissioner of 1 elections may appoint a person to be in charge of the division 2 of elections who shall perform the duties assigned by the 3 state commissioner of elections. The state commissioner of 4 elections shall prescribe uniform election practices and 5 procedures, shall prescribe the necessary forms required 6 for the conduct of elections, shall assign a number to each 7 proposed constitutional amendment and statewide public measure 8 for identification purposes, and shall adopt rules , pursuant to 9 chapter 17A , to carry out this section . The state commissioner 10 of elections may issue guidance and directives that is are not 11 subject to the rulemaking process to clarify election laws and 12 rules. 13 6. The state commissioner may, at the state commissioner’s 14 discretion, examine the records of a commissioner to evaluate 15 complaints and to ensure compliance with the provisions of 16 chapters 39 through 53 . This examination shall include but not 17 be limited to assessments conducted or authorized by private or 18 government entities to evaluate a county’s security readiness 19 for elections-related technology or physical facilities. The 20 state commissioner shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to 21 require a commissioner to provide written explanations related 22 to examinations conducted pursuant to this subsection . Any 23 information that is requested by or in the possession of the 24 state commissioner pursuant to this chapter shall not lose its 25 confidential status pursuant to section 22.7 , subsection 50 . 26 7. The state commissioner may share information a county 27 provides to an appropriate government agency to safeguard 28 against cybersecurity or physical threats. A county 29 commissioner of elections shall notify the state commissioner 30 when the county commissioner’s office is involved in physical 31 or cybersecurity assessments performed by a federal or state 32 agency or other entity. 33 8. The state commissioner may adopt rules pursuant to 34 chapter 17A to create minimum security protocols applicable 35 -3- HF 954.1131 (2) 91 ss/ns 3/ 8

to county commissioners of elections and vendors utilized 1 by the state commissioner and county commissioners of 2 elections . If a county fails to adhere to these protocols, 3 the state commissioner may limit access to the statewide voter 4 registration system. If a vendor fails to adhere to these 5 protocols, the state commissioner may limit access to election 6 infrastructure. 7 Sec. ___. Section 47.2, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended 8 to read as follows: 9 1. The county auditor of each county is designated as the 10 county commissioner of elections in each county. The county 11 commissioner of elections shall conduct voter registration 12 pursuant to chapter 48A and conduct all elections within the 13 county. The county commissioner of elections does not possess 14 home rule powers with respect to the exercise of powers or 15 duties related to the conduct of elections prescribed by 16 statute or rule, or guidance or directives issued pursuant to 17 section 47.1 . 18 Sec. ___. Section 48A.26A, subsection 2, Code 2025, is 19 amended to read as follows: 20 2. If the acknowledgment is returned as undeliverable by 21 the postal service, the commissioner shall attempt to contact 22 the voter by forwardable mail. If a response is not received 23 from the voter within fourteen days after the notice is mailed, 24 the commissioner shall change the status of the registration 25 to inactive status and shall immediately notify the state 26 registrar of voters , the county sheriff, and the county 27 attorney. 28 Sec. ___. Section 48A.37, subsection 1, Code 2025, is 29 amended to read as follows: 30 1. Voter registration records , including voter registration 31 forms, shall be maintained in an electronic medium on the 32 statewide voter registration system . A history of local 33 election participation shall be maintained as part of the 34 electronic record for at least two general, primary, school, 35 -4- HF 954.1131 (2) 91 ss/ns 4/ 8

and city elections. Absentee voting shall be recorded for 1 the previous two general and primary elections. After each 2 election, the county commissioner shall update telephone 3 numbers provided by registered voters pursuant to section 4 49.77 . 5 Sec. ___. NEW SECTION . 49.29 Electronic election register 6 and poll book. 7 1. The commissioner may use an electronic election register 8 or election poll book in lieu of a paper register or poll book 9 if the electronic election register or poll book is a product 10 that has been certified for use in this state by the state 11 commissioner. 12 2. The state commissioner shall adopt rules pursuant to 13 chapter 17A for certification standards for electronic election 14 registers and election poll books. The certification standards 15 must include operational and security standards. 16 Sec. ___. Section 50.12, Code 2025, is amended to read as 17 follows: 18 50.12 Return and preservation of ballots. 19 Immediately after making the proclamation, and before 20 separating, the board members of each precinct in which votes 21 have been received by paper ballot shall enclose in an envelope 22 or other container all ballots which have been counted by them, 23 except those endorsed “Rejected as double”, “Defective”, or 24 “Objected to”, and securely seal the envelope. The signatures 25 of all board members of the precinct shall be placed across 26 the seal or the opening of the container so that it cannot 27 be opened without breaking the seal. The precinct election 28 officials shall return all the ballots to the commissioner, 29 who shall carefully preserve them for six twenty-two months. 30 Ballots from elections for federal offices shall be preserved 31 for twenty-two months. The sealed packages containing voted 32 ballots shall be opened only for an official recount authorized 33 by section 50.48 , 50.49 , or 50.50 , for an election contest 34 held pursuant to chapters 57 through 62 , to conduct an audit 35 -5- HF 954.1131 (2) 91 ss/ns 5/ 8

pursuant to section 50.51 , or to destroy the ballots pursuant 1 to section 50.19 . 2 Sec. ___. Section 50.19, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended 3 to read as follows: 4 1. The commissioner may destroy precinct election 5 registers, the declarations of eligibility signed by voters, 6 and other material pertaining to any election in which federal 7 offices are not on the ballot, except the tally lists and 8 abstracts of votes which have not been electronically recorded, 9 six twenty-two months after the election if a contest is not 10 pending. If a contest is pending, all election materials shall 11 be preserved until final determination of the contest or until 12 twenty-two months after the election, whichever is later . 13 Before destroying the election registers and declarations 14 of eligibility, the commissioner shall prepare records as 15 necessary to permit compliance with chapter 48A, subchapter V . 16 Nomination papers for primary election candidates for state and 17 county offices shall be destroyed ten days before the general 18 election, if a contest is not pending. 19 Sec. ___. Section 53.2, subsection 4, paragraph c, Code 20 2025, is amended to read as follows: 21 c. For purposes of this subsection , “voter verification 22 number” means the registered voter’s driver’s license number or 23 nonoperator’s identification card number assigned to the voter 24 by the department of transportation or the registered voter’s 25 four-digit personal identification number assigned to the voter 26 by the state commissioner pursuant to section 47.7 48A.10A , 27 subsection 2 1 . 28 Sec. ___. Section 53.10, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code 29 2025, is amended to read as follows: 30 b. For purposes of this subsection , “voter verification 31 number” means the registered voter’s driver’s license number or 32 nonoperator’s identification card number assigned to the voter 33 by the department of transportation or the registered voter’s 34 four-digit personal identification number assigned to the voter 35 -6- HF 954.1131 (2) 91 ss/ns 6/ 8

by the state commissioner pursuant to section 47.7 48A.10A , 1 subsection 2 1 . 2 Sec. ___. Section 53.23, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code 3 2025, is amended to read as follows: 4 a. The commissioner shall set the a convening time for the 5 board of no later than 9:00 a.m. on election day , allowing a 6 reasonable amount of time to complete counting all absentee 7 ballots by 10:00 p.m. on election day. 8 Sec. ___. Section 54.5, subsection 3, Code 2025, is amended 9 to read as follows: 10 3. Each elector nominee and alternate elector nominee 11 of a political party or group of petitioners shall execute 12 the following pledge on a form prescribed by the state 13 commissioner , which shall accompany the submission of the 14 corresponding names to the state commissioner: 15 If selected for the position of elector, I agree to serve 16 and to mark my ballots for president and vice president for 17 the nominees for those offices of the party (or group of 18 petitioners) that nominated me. 19 Sec. ___. Section 54.5, Code 2025, is amended by adding the 20 following new subsection: 21 NEW SUBSECTION . 5. An objection to a nomination made under 22 this section on any grounds other than the legal sufficiency 23 of the certificate of nomination shall not be sustained. The 24 certificate of nomination shall be presumed valid. 25 Sec. ___. Section 384.19, subsection 1, Code 2025, is 26 amended to read as follows: 27 1. Within a period of ten days after the final date that 28 a budget or amended budget may be certified to the county 29 auditor, persons affected by the budget may file a written 30 protest with the county auditor specifying their objections 31 to the budget or any part of it. A protest must be signed by 32 registered voters equal in number to one-fourth of one percent 33 of the votes cast for governor in the last preceding general 34 election in the city, but the number shall not be less than 35 -7- HF 954.1131 (2) 91 ss/ns 7/ 8

ten persons and the number need not be more than one hundred 1 persons population of the city according to the most recent 2 federal decennial census or special census, whichever is 3 later . > 4 2. By striking page 4, line 18, through page 5, line 6. 5 3. Page 5, line 19, by striking < preceding general election > 6 and inserting < three preceding general election elections > 7 4. Page 5, line 21, by striking < two ten > and inserting 8 < two > 9 5. Page 5, line 22, by striking < that election > and 10 inserting < that election those elections > 11 6. Page 5, lines 32 and 33, by striking < preceding general 12 election > and inserting < three preceding general election 13 elections > 14 7. Page 5, line 34, by striking < two ten > and inserting 15 < two > 16 8. Page 6, line 1, by striking < that election > and inserting 17 < that election those elections > 18 9. Page 6, line 10, by striking < preceding general election > 19 and inserting < three preceding general election elections > 20 10. Page 6, line 12, by striking < two ten > and inserting 21 < two > 22 11. Page 6, line 13, by striking < that election > and 23 inserting < that election those elections > 24 12. Page 6, line 21, by striking < two ten > and inserting 25 < two > 26 13. Page 6, lines 22 and 23, by striking < preceding general 27 election > and inserting < three preceding general election 28 elections > 29 14. By renumbering as necessary. 30 ______________________________ HARRIS of Appanoose -8- HF 954.1131 (2) 91 ss/ns 8/ 8 #2. #3. #4. #5. #6. #7. #8. #9. #10. #11. #12. #13. #14.