House File 2142 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2142 BY JONES A BILL FOR An Act relating to the apportionment of election costs 1 to political subdivisions and including applicability 2 provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5702YH (2) 88 md/ns
H.F. 2142 Section 1. Section 47.3, subsection 2, Code 2020, is amended 1 to read as follows: 2 2. a. The cost of conducting other elections shall be 3 paid by the each political subdivision for which the election 4 is held. The costs shall include but not be limited to the 5 printing of the ballots and the election register, publication 6 of notices, printing of declaration of eligibility affidavits, 7 compensation for precinct election boards, canvass materials, 8 and the preparation and installation of voting equipment. The 9 county commissioner of elections shall certify to the county 10 board of supervisors a statement of cost for an election. The 11 cost shall be assessed by the county board of supervisors 12 against the each political subdivision for which the election 13 was held in the manner provided under paragraph “b” . 14 b. The total cost of conducting an election determined 15 under paragraph “a” shall be apportioned among the political 16 subdivisions for which the election is held. Each such 17 political subdivision shall be assessed a share of the total 18 cost of the election that is proportionate to the political 19 subdivision’s share of the sum of the total ballot items for 20 all political subdivisions in the county for the election. 21 The amount of each political subdivision’s total ballot items 22 shall be the sum of all public questions, public measures, 23 and public offices of the political subdivision appearing on 24 any individual ballot in the county printed for use in the 25 election. 26 Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to elections held 27 on or after July 1, 2020. 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 Code section 47.3 provides that for any election that is not 32 a special election called by the governor, general election, or 33 the primary election held prior to the general election, the 34 cost of conducting the election shall be paid by the political 35 -1- LSB 5702YH (2) 88 md/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 2142 subdivision for which the election is held. 1 This bill provides that the cost of the election shall 2 be assessed by the county board of supervisors against each 3 political subdivision for which the election was held. Each 4 such political subdivision is required to be assessed a share 5 of the total cost of the election that is proportionate to 6 the political subdivision’s share of the sum of the total 7 ballot items for all political subdivisions in the county for 8 the election. Under the bill, the amount of each political 9 subdivision’s total ballot items shall be the sum of all public 10 questions, public measures, and public offices of the political 11 subdivision appearing on any individual ballot in the county 12 printed for use in the election. 13 The bill applies to elections held on or after July 1, 2020. 14 -2- LSB 5702YH (2) 88 md/ns 2/ 2