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House File 2016 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1concerning the regulation of elections by establishing
2requirements for election to public office, assessing
3election costs to candidates, and affecting vote tabulations
4for public referenda.
5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 39.28 Votes required for election.
21. A candidate for public office shall not be elected to the
3office who has not received a number of votes equal to at least
4half the number of registered voters eligible to cast a ballot
5for the office.
62. If no candidate for a public office receives the number
7of votes required for election pursuant to subsection 1, a
8runoff election shall be held between the two candidates for
9the office who received the highest number of votes. The
10candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the
11runoff election shall be elected.
12 Sec. 2. Section 47.3, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2018, are
13amended to read as follows:
141. The costs of conducting a special election called by
15the governor, general election, and the primary election held
16prior to the general election shall be paid proportionally,
17as determined by the state commissioner of elections, by the
18county each candidate or candidate’s committee, as defined in
19section 68A.102, included on the ballot.
202. The cost of conducting other elections shall be paid
21by the political subdivision for which the election is held
22 each candidate or candidate’s committee, as defined in section
2368A.102. The costs shall include but not be limited to the
24printing of the ballots and the election register, publication
25of notices, printing of declaration of eligibility affidavits,
26compensation for precinct election boards, canvass materials,
27and the preparation and installation of voting equipment. The
28county commissioner of elections shall certify to the county
29board of supervisors a statement of cost for an election. The
30cost shall be assessed proportionally by the county board of
31supervisors against the political subdivision for which the
32election was held each candidate or candidate’s committee, as
33defined in section 68A.102, included on the ballot.
34 Sec. 3. Section 47.3, Code 2018, is amended by adding the
35following new subsection:
-1-1 NEW SUBSECTION. 5. The costs of runoff elections shall be
2paid by the candidates included on the ballot.
3 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 49A.12 Failure to vote tabulated as a
4“no” vote.
5When a public measure or constitutional amendment is
6submitted to a general election pursuant to section 49A.4, a
7constitutional amendment is submitted to a special election
8pursuant to section 49A.5, or the question of holding a
9constitutional convention is submitted to a general or special
10election pursuant to Article X, section 3 of the Constitution
11of the State of Iowa, a registered voter who does not cast
12a ballot on the measure, amendment, or convention shall be
13counted as having voted against the measure, amendment, or
14convention.
15EXPLANATION
16The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
17the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
18This bill requires that a candidate for any public office
19receive votes equal to at least half the number of registered
20voters eligible to cast a ballot for that office in order to be
21elected. If no candidate for an office meets this requirement,
22the bill requires that a runoff election be held between the
23two candidates who received the highest number of votes.
24The bill requires candidates or their candidates’ committees
25to pay the costs of administering any elections in which
26they participate. Any runoff elections must be paid for
27by the candidates personally. The bill also requires that
28any registered voter who does not cast a ballot on a public
29measure, constitutional amendment, or constitutional convention
30be counted as having voted against that measure, amendment, or
31convention.
-2-ss/rj
2requirements for election to public office, assessing
3election costs to candidates, and affecting vote tabulations
4for public referenda.
5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 39.28 Votes required for election.
21. A candidate for public office shall not be elected to the
3office who has not received a number of votes equal to at least
4half the number of registered voters eligible to cast a ballot
5for the office.
62. If no candidate for a public office receives the number
7of votes required for election pursuant to subsection 1, a
8runoff election shall be held between the two candidates for
9the office who received the highest number of votes. The
10candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the
11runoff election shall be elected.
12 Sec. 2. Section 47.3, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2018, are
13amended to read as follows:
141. The costs of conducting a special election called by
15the governor, general election, and the primary election held
16prior to the general election shall be paid proportionally,
17as determined by the state commissioner of elections, by the
18county each candidate or candidate’s committee, as defined in
19section 68A.102, included on the ballot.
202. The cost of conducting other elections shall be paid
21by the political subdivision for which the election is held
22 each candidate or candidate’s committee, as defined in section
2368A.102. The costs shall include but not be limited to the
24printing of the ballots and the election register, publication
25of notices, printing of declaration of eligibility affidavits,
26compensation for precinct election boards, canvass materials,
27and the preparation and installation of voting equipment. The
28county commissioner of elections shall certify to the county
29board of supervisors a statement of cost for an election. The
30cost shall be assessed proportionally by the county board of
31supervisors against the political subdivision for which the
32election was held each candidate or candidate’s committee, as
33defined in section 68A.102, included on the ballot.
34 Sec. 3. Section 47.3, Code 2018, is amended by adding the
35following new subsection:
-1-1 NEW SUBSECTION. 5. The costs of runoff elections shall be
2paid by the candidates included on the ballot.
3 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 49A.12 Failure to vote tabulated as a
4“no” vote.
5When a public measure or constitutional amendment is
6submitted to a general election pursuant to section 49A.4, a
7constitutional amendment is submitted to a special election
8pursuant to section 49A.5, or the question of holding a
9constitutional convention is submitted to a general or special
10election pursuant to Article X, section 3 of the Constitution
11of the State of Iowa, a registered voter who does not cast
12a ballot on the measure, amendment, or convention shall be
13counted as having voted against the measure, amendment, or
14convention.
15EXPLANATION
16The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
17the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
18This bill requires that a candidate for any public office
19receive votes equal to at least half the number of registered
20voters eligible to cast a ballot for that office in order to be
21elected. If no candidate for an office meets this requirement,
22the bill requires that a runoff election be held between the
23two candidates who received the highest number of votes.
24The bill requires candidates or their candidates’ committees
25to pay the costs of administering any elections in which
26they participate. Any runoff elections must be paid for
27by the candidates personally. The bill also requires that
28any registered voter who does not cast a ballot on a public
29measure, constitutional amendment, or constitutional convention
30be counted as having voted against that measure, amendment, or
31convention.
-2-ss/rj