Senate File 487 - Introduced SENATE FILE 487 BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SF 330) A BILL FOR An Act relating to special elections to fill vacancies in 1 county boards of supervisors and city elective offices, and 2 including applicability provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2173SV (2) 90 ss/ns

S.F. 487 Section 1. Section 331.306, subsection 1, Code 2023, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. a. If a petition of the voters is authorized by this 3 chapter , the petition is valid if signed by eligible electors 4 of the county equal in number to at least ten percent of the 5 votes cast in the county for the office of president of the 6 United States or governor at the preceding general election, 7 unless otherwise provided by state law , and except as provided 8 in paragraph “b” . The petition shall include the signatures of 9 the petitioners, a statement of their place of residence, and 10 the date on which they signed the petition. 11 b. A petition to fill a vacancy in the office of county 12 supervisor by a special election filed pursuant to section 13 69.14A, subsection 1, must be signed by eligible electors of 14 the county equal in number to at least two percent of the 15 votes cast in the county for the office of president of the 16 United States or governor at the preceding general election or 17 the number of signatures required for nomination of a county 18 supervisor pursuant to section 45.1, whichever is greater. 19 Sec. 2. Section 372.13, subsection 2, paragraph a, 20 subparagraph (2), subparagraph divisions (a), (b), and (c), 21 Code 2023, are amended to read as follows: 22 (a) For a city with a population of ten thousand or less, 23 at least two hundred signatures or at least the number of 24 signatures equal to fifteen two percent of the voters who voted 25 for candidates for the office at the preceding regular election 26 at which the office was on the ballot, whichever number is 27 fewer. 28 (b) For a city with a population of more than ten thousand 29 but not more than fifty thousand, at least one thousand 30 signatures or at least the number of signatures equal to 31 fifteen two percent of the voters who voted for candidates 32 for the office at the preceding regular election at which the 33 office was on the ballot, whichever number is fewer. 34 (c) For a city with a population of more than fifty 35 -1- LSB 2173SV (2) 90 ss/ns 1/ 2

S.F. 487 thousand, at least two thousand signatures or at least the 1 number of signatures equal to ten two percent of the voters who 2 voted for candidates for the office at the preceding regular 3 election at which the office was on the ballot, whichever 4 number is fewer. 5 Sec. 3. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to vacancies in 6 county boards of supervisors and city elective offices arising 7 on or after the effective date of this Act. 8 EXPLANATION 9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 10 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 11 This bill relates to special elections to fill vacancies in 12 county boards of supervisors and elective city offices. The 13 bill changes the number of signatures required on a petition to 14 fill a vacancy in the office of county supervisor by a special 15 election from 10 percent of the votes cast in the county 16 for office of president or governor at the preceding general 17 election to 2 percent or the number of signatures required for 18 nomination of a county supervisor, whichever is greater. The 19 bill also changes the signature requirements for a petition to 20 fill a vacancy in an elective city office to 2 percent of the 21 voters who voted for candidates for the office at the preceding 22 regular election at which the office was on the ballot. The 23 bill does not change alternate minimum signature requirements 24 based on city size. 25 The bill applies to vacancies in county boards of 26 supervisors and city elective offices arising on or after the 27 effective date of the bill. 28 -2- LSB 2173SV (2) 90 ss/ns 2/ 2