House File 471 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 471 BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 114) A BILL FOR An Act relating to election precinct boundaries and 1 consolidations. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2139HV (2) 87 aw/sc

H.F. 471 Section 1. Section 49.8, subsection 7, Code 2017, is amended 1 to read as follows: 2 7. Precinct boundaries established by or pursuant to 3 section 49.3 or 49.4 , and not changed under subsection 1 since 4 the most recent federal decennial census, may be changed once 5 during the period beginning January 1 of the second year 6 following a year in which a federal decennial census is taken 7 and ending June 30 of the year immediately following the year 8 in which the next succeeding federal decennial census is taken, 9 if the commissioner recommends and the board of supervisors 10 finds that the change will effect a substantial savings in 11 election costs. Changes made under this subsection shall be 12 made not later than ninety-nine days before a primary election, 13 unless the changes will not take effect until January 1 of the 14 next even-numbered year. 15 Sec. 2. Section 49.11, subsection 3, unnumbered paragraph 16 1, Code 2017, is amended to read as follows: 17 The precincts established pursuant to section 49.7 shall 18 not be changed except in the manner provided by law. However, 19 for any election other than the primary or general election 20 or any special election held under section 69.14 , the county 21 commissioner of elections may: 22 Sec. 3. Section 49.11, subsection 3, paragraph d, 23 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2017, is amended to read as 24 follows: 25 Notwithstanding subsection 1 , the The commissioner may also 26 consolidate precincts for any election including a primary and 27 general election under any of the following circumstances: 28 EXPLANATION 29 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 30 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 31 This bill relates to election precinct boundaries and 32 consolidations. Under current law, precincts established 33 following a federal decennial census are not allowed to be 34 changed unless otherwise provided by law. Current law also 35 -1- LSB 2139HV (2) 87 aw/sc 1/ 2

H.F. 471 provides that a county commissioner of elections (county 1 auditor) may recommend, and a board of supervisors may approve, 2 changes to county precincts that will effect a substantial 3 savings in election costs. The bill adds a reference to the 4 statutory standards that must be followed when establishing 5 election precinct boundaries. 6 Also under current law, county commissioners are, in certain 7 elections, allowed to consolidate two or more precincts into 8 one and permanently divide precincts. Under the bill, county 9 commissioners are allowed to consolidate two or more precincts 10 into one and permanently divide precincts in all elections. 11 -2- LSB 2139HV (2) 87 aw/sc 2/ 2