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 TLSB 1806YH (2) 87 aw/sc

H.F. 55 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 -1- LSB 1806YH (2) 87 aw/sc 1/ 3

H.F. 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 -2- LSB 1806YH (2) 87 aw/sc 2/ 3

H.F. 55 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. 6 -3- LSB 1806YH (2) 87 aw/sc 3/ 3