Bill Text: IA SSB3165 | 2023-2024 | 90th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the administration of elections.(See SF 2376.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-02-14 - Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 2376. [SSB3165 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2023-SSB3165-Introduced.html
Senate
Study
Bill
3165
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
_____
BY
(PROPOSED
COMMITTEE
ON
STATE
GOVERNMENT
BILL
BY
CHAIRPERSON
SCHULTZ)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
the
administration
of
elections.
1
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
2
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Section
1.
Section
47.4,
Code
2024,
is
amended
to
read
as
1
follows:
2
47.4
Election
filing
deadlines.
3
If
the
deadline
for
a
filing
pertaining
to
an
election
4
falls
on
a
day
that
the
state
or
county
commissioner’s
office
5
is
closed
for
business,
the
deadline
shall
be
extended
to
6
the
next
day
that
the
office
of
state
commissioner
or
county
7
commissioner
is
open
for
business
to
receive
the
filing.
This
8
section
does
not
apply
to
the
deadline
for
voter
registration
9
under
section
48A.9,
subsection
2
.
10
Sec.
2.
Section
48A.9,
subsection
2,
Code
2024,
is
amended
11
to
read
as
follows:
12
2.
The
commissioner’s
office
shall
be
open
from
8:00
a.m.
13
until
at
least
5:00
p.m.
on
the
day
registration
closes
before
14
each
regularly
scheduled
election.
However,
if
the
last
day
to
15
register
to
vote
for
a
regularly
scheduled
election
falls
on
16
the
day
after
Thanksgiving,
the
deadline
shall
be
the
following
17
Monday.
18
Sec.
3.
Section
49.124,
subsection
1,
Code
2024,
is
amended
19
to
read
as
follows:
20
1.
The
commissioner
shall
conduct,
not
later
than
the
day
21
before
each
primary
and
general
election,
a
training
course
for
22
all
election
personnel
,
and
the
commissioner
may
do
so
before
23
any
other
election
the
commissioner
administers
.
The
personnel
24
shall
include
all
precinct
election
officials
and
any
other
25
persons
who
will
be
employed
in
or
around
the
polling
places
26
on
election
day.
At
least
two
precinct
election
officials
who
27
will
serve
on
each
precinct
election
board
at
the
forthcoming
28
election
shall
attend
the
training
course.
If
the
entire
board
29
does
not
attend,
those
members
who
do
attend
shall
so
far
as
30
possible
be
persons
who
have
not
previously
attended
a
similar
31
training
course.
The
state
commissioner
shall
adopt
rules
32
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
to
implement
instruction
required
under
33
this
subsection
.
34
Sec.
4.
Section
49.128,
subsection
1,
unnumbered
paragraph
35
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1,
Code
2024,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
1
No
later
than
twenty
days
following
a
general
an
election,
2
the
commissioner
shall
place
on
file
in
the
commissioner’s
3
office
a
certification
that
the
county
met
the
following
4
requirements
at
the
general
election:
5
Sec.
5.
Section
49.128,
subsection
1,
Code
2024,
is
amended
6
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
7
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
f.
The
state
commissioner
may
adopt
rules
8
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
to
require
that
the
commissioner
9
provide
and
certify
additional
information.
10
Sec.
6.
Section
49.128,
subsection
2,
Code
2024,
is
amended
11
to
read
as
follows:
12
2.
a.
If
the
county
is
required
to
conduct
an
audit
under
13
section
50.51
,
the
commissioner
shall
include
a
copy
of
the
14
results
with
the
certification
required
under
this
section
.
15
b.
If
a
county
is
not
required
to
conduct
an
audit
under
16
section
50.51
,
the
commissioner
shall
include
a
copy
of
the
17
certification
required
under
this
section
along
with
the
18
election
canvass
summary
report
required
under
section
50.30A
.
19
Sec.
7.
NEW
SECTION
.
49.129
Pre-election
submission
20
requirements.
21
1.
No
later
than
ten
days
before
the
election,
the
22
commissioner
shall
notify
the
state
commissioner
of
all
of
the
23
following:
24
a.
The
date,
time,
and
location
the
testing
of
voting
25
equipment
required
pursuant
to
section
52.35
is
to
be
26
performed.
27
b.
The
date
the
election
notice
will
be
published
pursuant
28
to
section
49.53
and
where
it
will
appear.
29
c.
The
date
the
election
personnel
training
course
required
30
pursuant
to
section
49.124
is
to
be
conducted.
31
2.
The
state
commissioner
may
adopt
rules
pursuant
to
32
chapter
17A
to
require
that
the
commissioner
provide
and
33
certify
additional
information.
34
Sec.
8.
Section
50.15A,
Code
2024,
is
amended
to
read
as
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follows:
1
50.15A
Unofficial
results
of
voting
——
general
election
only
.
2
1.
In
order
to
provide
the
public
with
an
early
source
3
of
election
results
before
the
official
canvass
of
votes,
4
the
state
commissioner
of
elections,
in
cooperation
with
the
5
commissioners
of
elections,
shall
conduct
an
unofficial
canvass
6
of
election
results
following
the
closing
of
the
polls
on
7
the
day
of
a
regular
city
election,
regular
school
election,
8
primary
election,
or
general
election
,
or
any
other
election
9
at
the
discretion
of
the
state
commissioner
.
The
unofficial
10
canvass
shall
report
election
results
for
national
offices,
11
statewide
offices,
the
office
of
state
representative,
the
12
office
of
state
senator,
and
other
offices
or
public
measures
13
at
the
discretion
of
the
state
commissioner
of
elections.
14
The
unofficial
canvass
shall
also
report
the
total
number
of
15
ballots
cast
at
the
general
reported
election.
16
2.
a.
After
the
polls
close
on
election
day,
the
17
commissioner
of
elections
shall
periodically
provide
election
18
results
to
the
state
commissioner
of
elections
as
the
precincts
19
in
the
county
report
election
results
to
the
commissioner
20
pursuant
to
section
50.11
.
If
the
commissioner
determines
21
that
all
precincts
will
not
report
election
results
before
22
the
office
is
closed,
the
commissioner
shall
report
the
most
23
complete
results
available
prior
to
leaving
the
office
at
the
24
time
the
office
is
closed
as
provided
in
section
50.11
.
The
25
commissioner
shall
specify
the
number
of
precincts
included
in
26
the
report
to
the
state
commissioner
of
elections
and
provide
27
an
explanation
in
writing
as
to
why
all
precincts
will
not
be
28
reported
.
29
b.
The
state
commissioner
of
elections
shall
tabulate
30
unofficial
election
results
as
the
results
are
received
from
31
the
commissioners
of
elections
and
shall
periodically
make
the
32
reports
of
the
results
available
to
the
public.
33
3.
Before
the
day
of
the
general
reported
election,
the
34
state
commissioner
of
elections
shall
provide
a
form
and
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instructions
for
reporting
unofficial
election
results
pursuant
1
to
this
section
.
2
4.
The
state
commissioner
shall
set
a
date
and
time
by
which
3
a
commissioner
must
complete
testing
of
the
system
used
for
the
4
unofficial
canvass
before
the
reported
election.
5
Sec.
9.
Section
50.48,
subsection
5,
Code
2024,
is
amended
6
to
read
as
follows:
7
5.
a.
(1)
At
the
conclusion
of
a
recount,
the
recount
8
board
shall
make
and
file
with
the
commissioner
a
written
9
report
of
its
findings,
signed
by
a
majority
of
the
recount
10
board.
11
(2)
The
commissioner
or
commissioner’s
designee
may
12
assist
in
compiling
the
written
report.
The
written
report
13
shall
include
a
full
tally
and
accounting
of
ballots
reviewed
14
by
the
recount
board
and
shall
be
reported
as
required
by
15
sections
50.24
and
53.20.
The
written
report
must
allow
the
16
commissioner
to
correct
the
canvass
of
voters
in
the
manner
17
required
by
law,
if
applicable.
18
b.
If
the
recount
board’s
report
is
that
the
abstracts
19
prepared
pursuant
to
the
county
board’s
canvass
were
incorrect
20
as
to
the
number
of
votes
cast
for
the
candidates
for
the
21
office
or
nomination
in
question,
in
that
county
or
district,
22
the
commissioner
shall
at
once
so
notify
the
county
board.
The
23
county
board
shall
reconvene
within
three
days
after
being
so
24
notified,
but
no
later
than
noon
on
the
twenty-seventh
day
25
following
the
election
in
question
for
a
recount
of
the
offices
26
of
president
and
vice
president,
and
shall
correct
its
previous
27
proceedings.
28
Sec.
10.
Section
53.17,
subsection
4,
unnumbered
paragraph
29
1,
Code
2024,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
30
When
a
person
designated
by
the
voter
pursuant
to
section
31
53.33
retrieves
a
completed
absentee
ballot
from
the
voter,
the
32
designee
shall
,
upon
request
of
the
voter,
fill
out
a
receipt
33
to
be
retained
by
the
voter.
The
state
commissioner
shall
34
prescribe
a
form
for
receipts
required
by
this
subsection
.
The
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receipt
shall
include
all
of
the
following:
1
Sec.
11.
Section
53.17,
subsection
4,
paragraph
d,
Code
2
2024,
is
amended
by
striking
the
paragraph.
3
Sec.
12.
Section
53.17,
subsection
4,
paragraph
f,
Code
4
2024,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
5
f.
A
statement
that
the
completed
absentee
ballot
will
6
be
delivered
to
the
commissioner’s
office
within
seventy-two
7
hours
of
retrieving
it
from
the
voter
or
before
the
closing
of
8
the
polls
on
election
day,
whichever
is
earlier
,
or
that
the
9
completed
absentee
ballot
will
be
mailed
to
the
commissioner
10
within
seventy-two
hours
of
retrieving
it
from
the
voter
.
11
Sec.
13.
Section
53.20,
subsection
2,
paragraph
b,
Code
12
2024,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
13
b.
For
the
primary
election,
general
election
,
and
for
any
14
election
in
which
the
commissioner
determines
in
advance
of
15
the
election
to
report
the
results
of
the
special
precinct
by
16
the
resident
precincts
of
the
voters
who
cast
absentee
and
17
provisional
ballots,
the
commissioner
shall
prepare
a
separate
18
absentee
ballot
style
for
each
precinct
in
the
county
and
shall
19
program
the
voting
system
to
produce
reports
by
the
resident
20
precincts
of
the
voters.
21
Sec.
14.
Section
54.7,
subsection
1,
Code
2024,
is
amended
22
to
read
as
follows:
23
1.
The
presidential
electors
and
alternate
electors
shall
24
meet
in
the
capitol,
at
the
seat
of
government,
on
the
first
25
Monday
Tuesday
after
the
second
Wednesday
in
December
next
26
following
their
election.
27
Sec.
15.
Section
277.4,
subsection
4,
Code
2024,
is
amended
28
to
read
as
follows:
29
4.
Any
person
on
whose
behalf
nomination
petitions
have
been
30
filed
under
this
section
may
withdraw
as
a
candidate
by
filing
31
a
signed
statement
to
that
effect
with
the
secretary
consistent
32
with
section
44.9
,
subsection
5
.
33
EXPLANATION
34
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
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the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
1
This
bill
relates
to
the
conduct
of
elections.
The
bill
2
changes
the
filing
deadline
for
voter
registration
forms
that
3
would
be
due
on
the
day
after
Thanksgiving
from
the
following
4
Monday
to
the
next
day
the
office
of
the
county
commissioner
of
5
elections
or
the
state
commissioner
of
elections
is
open.
6
The
bill
requires
a
county
commissioner
of
elections
to
7
hold
training
for
all
election
personnel
before
each
election,
8
rather
than
before
each
primary
and
general
election.
The
bill
9
also
requires
the
state
commissioner
of
elections
to
adopt
10
rules
for
the
implementation
of
required
instruction.
11
The
bill
requires
a
county
commissioner
of
elections
12
to
place
on
file
a
certification
that
the
office
of
the
13
commissioner
met
certain
requirements
within
20
days
after
14
each
election.
Current
law
requires
that
such
certifications
15
be
filed
after
a
general
election.
The
bill
allows
the
state
16
commissioner
of
elections
to
adopt
rules
requiring
county
17
commissioners
of
elections
to
provide
and
certify
additional
18
information.
The
bill
strikes
a
provision
requiring
a
county
19
commissioner
of
elections
to
include
a
copy
of
a
certification
20
along
with
an
election
canvass
summary
report
when
a
county
is
21
not
required
to
conduct
an
audit.
22
The
bill
requires
a
county
commissioner
of
elections
to
23
provide
certain
information
to
the
state
commissioner
of
24
elections
not
later
than
10
days
before
an
election,
including
25
the
date,
time,
and
location
of
equipment
testing,
the
date
and
26
location
where
the
election
notice
will
be
published,
and
the
27
date
that
election
personnel
training
will
be
conducted.
The
28
bill
allows
the
state
commissioner
to
adopt
rules
to
require
29
that
a
county
commissioner
provide
and
certify
additional
30
information.
31
The
bill
requires
the
state
commissioner
of
elections,
32
in
cooperation
with
county
commissioners
of
elections,
to
33
conduct
an
unofficial
canvass
of
election
results
following
the
34
closing
of
polls
for
regular
city,
regular
school,
primary,
or
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general
elections,
and
any
other
election
at
the
discretion
of
1
the
state
commissioner.
Current
law
requires
an
unofficial
2
canvass
only
for
general
elections.
If
a
county
commissioner
3
of
elections
determines
that
all
precincts
will
not
report
4
results
before
the
office
is
closed,
the
bill
requires
the
5
county
commissioner
to
provide
a
written
explanation
as
to
why.
6
The
bill
requires
the
state
commissioner
to
set
a
date
by
which
7
a
commissioner
must
complete
testing
of
equipment
used
for
an
8
unofficial
canvass.
9
The
bill
requires
a
recount
board
to
include
in
its
written
10
report
following
the
conclusion
of
a
recount
a
full
tally
11
and
accounting
of
ballots
reviewed
by
the
board.
The
report
12
must
allow
the
county
commissioner
of
elections
to
correct
the
13
canvass
of
votes
in
the
manner
required
by
law,
if
applicable.
14
The
bill
requires
the
report
to
be
signed
by
a
majority
of
the
15
recount
board
and
allows
the
commissioner
or
the
commissioner’s
16
designee
to
assist
in
compiling
the
report.
If
the
report
is
17
that
the
initial
abstracts
were
incorrect,
the
bill
requires
18
the
county
board
to
reconvene
no
later
than
noon
27
days
19
following
an
election
if
the
election
is
for
president
or
vice
20
president.
21
The
bill
removes
a
requirement
that
a
receipt
filled
out
by
a
22
person
designated
to
return
a
voter’s
completed
absentee
ballot
23
include
a
statement
regarding
the
time
by
which
the
person
24
will
return
the
ballot
and
the
name
of
the
political
party,
25
candidate,
or
committee
for
which
the
designee
is
acting
as
an
26
actual
or
implied
agent.
Code
section
53.33
prohibits
such
a
27
person
from
delivering
a
completed
absentee
ballot.
The
bill
28
also
removes
a
provision
allowing
a
voter
to
request
that
a
29
person
collecting
an
absentee
ballot
fill
out
a
receipt.
Code
30
section
53.33
makes
such
receipts
mandatory.
31
The
bill
requires
the
county
commissioner
of
elections
to
32
prepare
a
separate
absentee
ballot
style
for
each
precinct
in
33
the
county
and
program
the
voting
system
to
produce
reports
by
34
the
resident
precincts
of
the
voters
for
each
primary
election.
35
-7-
LSB
6287XC
(2)
90
ss/ns
7/
8
S.F.
_____
The
bill
updates
an
internal
reference
regarding
withdrawals
1
of
candidates
for
school
district
elections.
2
The
bill
changes
the
meeting
date
for
presidential
electors
3
and
alternates
from
the
first
Monday
after
the
second
Wednesday
4
in
December
next
following
the
election
to
the
first
Tuesday
5
after
the
second
Wednesday
in
December
next
following
the
6
election.
7
-8-
LSB
6287XC
(2)
90
ss/ns
8/
8
