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House File 27 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the absentee voting period.
2BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 53.8, subsection 1, paragraph a,
2unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2021, is amended to read as
3follows:
4Upon receipt of an application for an absentee ballot
5and immediately after the absentee ballots are printed,
6but not more than twenty-nine days before the election, the
7commissioner shall mail an absentee ballot to the applicant
8within twenty-four hours, except as otherwise provided in
9subsection 3. When the United States post office is closed
10in observance of a federal holiday and is not delivering mail
11on the twenty-ninth day before the election, the first day to
12mail absentee ballots is the next business day on which mail
13delivery is available. The absentee ballot shall be sent to
14the registered voter by one of the following methods:
15 Sec. 2. Section 53.10, subsection 1, Code 2021, is amended
16to read as follows:
171. Not more than twenty-nine forty-five days before the
18date of the primary election or the general election, the
19commissioner shall provide facilities for absentee voting in
20person at the commissioner’s office. This service shall also
21be provided for other elections as soon as the ballots are
22ready, but in no case shall absentee ballots be available under
23this section more than twenty-nine forty-five days before an
24election.
25 Sec. 3. Section 53.11, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2021,
26is amended to read as follows:
27a. Not more than twenty-nine forty-five days before the
28date of an election, satellite absentee voting stations may be
29established throughout the cities and county at the direction
30of the commissioner and shall be established upon receipt
31of a petition signed by not less than one hundred eligible
32electors requesting that a satellite absentee voting station
33be established at a location to be described on the petition.
34However, if a special election is scheduled in the county on a
35date that falls between the date of the regular city election
-1-1and the date of the city runoff election, the commissioner is
2not required to establish a satellite absentee voting station
3for the city runoff election.
4 Sec. 4. Section 53.42, Code 2021, is amended to read as
5follows:
653.42 Voting in person in commissioner’s office.
7Notwithstanding the provision as to time found in section
853.10, any qualified voter in the armed forces of the United
9States may personally appear in the office of the commissioner
10of the county of the voter’s residence and there vote an absent
11voter’s ballot at any time not earlier than forty forty-five
12 days before the primary or general election, as the case may
13be.
14EXPLANATION
15The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
16the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
17This bill changes the start of the absentee voting period
18from not more than 29 days before the date of an election to not
19more than 45 days before the date of an election. The bill also
20changes the start of the absentee voting period for qualified
21voters in the armed forces from not more than 40 days before
22the date of an election to not more than 45 days before the date
23of an election.
-2-ss/jh
2BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 53.8, subsection 1, paragraph a,
2unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2021, is amended to read as
3follows:
4Upon receipt of an application for an absentee ballot
5and immediately after the absentee ballots are printed,
6but not more than twenty-nine days before the election, the
7commissioner shall mail an absentee ballot to the applicant
8within twenty-four hours, except as otherwise provided in
9subsection 3. When the United States post office is closed
10in observance of a federal holiday and is not delivering mail
11on the twenty-ninth day before the election, the first day to
12mail absentee ballots is the next business day on which mail
13delivery is available. The absentee ballot shall be sent to
14the registered voter by one of the following methods:
15 Sec. 2. Section 53.10, subsection 1, Code 2021, is amended
16to read as follows:
171. Not more than twenty-nine forty-five days before the
18date of the primary election or the general election, the
19commissioner shall provide facilities for absentee voting in
20person at the commissioner’s office. This service shall also
21be provided for other elections as soon as the ballots are
22ready, but in no case shall absentee ballots be available under
23this section more than twenty-nine forty-five days before an
24election.
25 Sec. 3. Section 53.11, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2021,
26is amended to read as follows:
27a. Not more than twenty-nine forty-five days before the
28date of an election, satellite absentee voting stations may be
29established throughout the cities and county at the direction
30of the commissioner and shall be established upon receipt
31of a petition signed by not less than one hundred eligible
32electors requesting that a satellite absentee voting station
33be established at a location to be described on the petition.
34However, if a special election is scheduled in the county on a
35date that falls between the date of the regular city election
-1-1and the date of the city runoff election, the commissioner is
2not required to establish a satellite absentee voting station
3for the city runoff election.
4 Sec. 4. Section 53.42, Code 2021, is amended to read as
5follows:
653.42 Voting in person in commissioner’s office.
7Notwithstanding the provision as to time found in section
853.10, any qualified voter in the armed forces of the United
9States may personally appear in the office of the commissioner
10of the county of the voter’s residence and there vote an absent
11voter’s ballot at any time not earlier than forty forty-five
12 days before the primary or general election, as the case may
13be.
14EXPLANATION
15The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
16the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
17This bill changes the start of the absentee voting period
18from not more than 29 days before the date of an election to not
19more than 45 days before the date of an election. The bill also
20changes the start of the absentee voting period for qualified
21voters in the armed forces from not more than 40 days before
22the date of an election to not more than 45 days before the date
23of an election.
-2-ss/jh