Senate Study Bill 1229 SENATE FILE BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT BILL BY CHAIRPERSON CONNOLLY) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act allowing a voter to register to vote and to vote after 2 regular registration and prior to voting in an election. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2469SC 82 5 sc/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 48A.7A ELECTION DAY AND 1 2 IN=PERSON ABSENTEE REGISTRATION. 1 3 1. a. A person who is eligible to register to vote and to 1 4 vote may register on election day by appearing in person at 1 5 the polling place for the precinct in which the individual 1 6 resides and completing a voter registration application, 1 7 making written oath, and providing proof of identity and 1 8 residence. 1 9 b. For purposes of this section, a person may establish 1 10 identity and residence by presenting to the appropriate 1 11 precinct election official a current and valid Iowa driver's 1 12 license or Iowa nonoperator's identification card or by 1 13 presenting a current and valid form of photographic 1 14 identification approved by rule by the state registrar of 1 15 voters. If the photographic identification presented does not 1 16 contain the person's current address in the precinct, the 1 17 person shall also present a current document that shows the 1 18 person's name and address in the precinct. The state 1 19 registrar of voters by rule shall designate which documents 1 20 are acceptable to show proof of residency. 1 21 c. In lieu of paragraph "b", a person wishing to vote may 1 22 establish identity and residency in the precinct by written 1 23 oath of a person who is registered to vote in the precinct. 1 24 The registered voter's oath shall attest to the stated 1 25 identity of the person wishing to vote and that the person is 1 26 a current resident of the precinct. The oath must be signed 1 27 by the attesting registered voter in the presence of the 1 28 appropriate precinct election official. A registered voter 1 29 who has signed an oath on election day attesting to a person's 1 30 identity and residency as provided in this paragraph is 1 31 prohibited from signing any further oaths as provided in this 1 32 paragraph on that day. 1 33 2. The oath required in subsection 1, paragraph "a", and 1 34 in paragraph "c", if applicable, shall be attached to the 1 35 voter registration application, and the information contained 2 1 in the oath shall be recorded on the voter registration 2 2 records of the person registering to vote and on the voter 2 3 registration records of the registered voter attesting by oath 2 4 on behalf of a person registering to vote if applicable. 2 5 3. At any time before election day, a person who appears 2 6 in person at the commissioner's office or at a satellite 2 7 absentee voting station after the deadline for registration in 2 8 section 48A.9, may register to vote and vote an absentee 2 9 ballot by following the procedure in this section for 2 10 registering to vote on election day. A person who wishes to 2 11 vote in person at the polling place on election day and who 2 12 has not registered to vote before the deadline for registering 2 13 in section 48A.9, is required to register to vote at the 2 14 polling place on election day following the procedure in this 2 15 section. 2 16 4. The form of the written oaths required in this section 2 17 shall be prescribed by rule by the state registrar of voters. 2 18 Sec. 2. Section 48A.9, subsection 1, Code 2007, is amended 2 19 to read as follows: 2 20 1. Registration closes at five p.m. eleven days before 2 21 each election except primary and general elections. For 2 22 primary and general elections, registration closes at five 2 23 p.m. ten days before the election. An eligible elector may 2 24 register during the time registration is closed in the 2 25 elector's precinct but the registration shall not become 2 26 effective until registration opens again in the elector's 2 27 precinct, except as otherwise provided in section 48A.7A. 2 28 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 48A.26A ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ELECTION 2 29 DAY AND IN=PERSON ABSENTEE REGISTRATION FORM. 2 30 1. Within forty=five days of receiving a voter 2 31 registration form completed under section 48A.7A, the 2 32 commissioner shall send an acknowledgment to the registrant, 2 33 in the manner provided in section 48A.26, subsections 2 2 34 through 5, as applicable, at the mailing address shown on the 2 35 registration form. The acknowledgment shall be sent by 3 1 nonforwardable mail. 3 2 2. If the acknowledgment is returned as undeliverable by 3 3 the postal service, the commissioner shall attempt to contact 3 4 the voter by forwardable mail. If the voter does not respond, 3 5 the commissioner shall cancel the registration and shall 3 6 immediately notify the state registrar of voters and the 3 7 county attorney. 3 8 Sec. 4. Section 49.77, subsection 4, Code 2007, is amended 3 9 to read as follows: 3 10 4. a. A person whose name does not appear on the election 3 11 register of the precinct in which that person claims the right 3 12 to vote shall not be permitted to vote, unless the person 3 13 affirms that the person is currently registered in the county 3 14 and presents proof of identity, or the commissioner informs 3 15 the precinct election officials that an error has occurred and 3 16 that the person is a registered voter of that precinct. If 3 17 the commissioner finds no record of the person's registration 3 18 but the person insists that the person is a registered voter 3 19 of that precinct, the precinct election officials shall allow 3 20 the person to cast a ballot in the manner prescribed by 3 21 section 49.81. 3 22 b. If the voter informs the precinct election official 3 23 that the voter resides in the precinct and is not registered 3 24 to vote, the voter may register to vote pursuant to section 3 25 48.7A and cast a ballot. If such a voter is unable to 3 26 establish identity and residency in the manner provided in 3 27 section 48.7A, subsection 1, paragraph "b" or "c", the voter 3 28 shall be allowed to cast a ballot in the manner prescribed by 3 29 section 49.81. 3 30 c. A person who has been sent an absentee ballot by mail 3 31 but for any reason has not received it shall be permitted to 3 32 cast a ballot in person pursuant to section 53.19 and in the 3 33 manner prescribed by section 49.81. 3 34 EXPLANATION 3 35 This bill allows a person to register to vote after the 4 1 normal statutory deadline for registration for an election and 4 2 to vote in that election. 4 3 The bill provides that a person eligible to register to 4 4 vote and to vote may register in person at the polling place 4 5 on election day by completing a voter registration form, 4 6 making written oath, and providing proof of identity and proof 4 7 of residency in the precinct. If the person does not have 4 8 such proof, the bill allows identity and residency in the 4 9 precinct to be established by written oath of a registered 4 10 voter of the precinct. The bill allows a person who cannot 4 11 establish identity and residency in the precinct by either of 4 12 these methods to vote a provisional ballot. 4 13 The bill also provides that at any time before election day 4 14 and after the normal deadline for registering to vote, a 4 15 person may vote absentee at the commissioner's office or at a 4 16 satellite absentee voting station by registering in the same 4 17 manner as registration may be accomplished on election day. 4 18 The bill requires the county commissioner of elections to 4 19 send acknowledgment of election day and in=person absentee 4 20 registrations within 45 days of receiving the voter 4 21 registration form. If the acknowledgment is returned as 4 22 undeliverable, the commissioner is required to attempt contact 4 23 by forwardable mail. If the voter does not respond, the 4 24 commissioner is required to cancel the registration and 4 25 immediately notify the state registrar of voters (secretary of 4 26 state) and the county attorney. 4 27 LSB 2469SC 82 4 28 sc:rj/gg/14