Bill Text: IA HF129 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the administration of elections, including voter identity verification and straight party voting, and including applicability provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-01-24 - Introduced, referred to State Government. H.J. 147. [HF129 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2019-HF129-Introduced.html
House
File
129
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
129
BY
HUNTER
,
STAED
,
STECKMAN
,
MASCHER
,
BEARINGER
,
OLDSON
,
KURTZ
,
LENSING
,
WESSEL-KROESCHELL
,
and
JACOBY
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
the
administration
of
elections,
including
1
voter
identity
verification
and
straight
party
voting,
and
2
including
applicability
provisions.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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Section
1.
Section
22.7,
subsections
72
and
73,
Code
2019,
1
are
amended
by
striking
the
subsections.
2
Sec.
2.
Section
48A.2,
subsection
6,
Code
2019,
is
amended
3
by
striking
the
subsection.
4
Sec.
3.
Section
48A.7A,
subsection
1,
paragraph
c,
Code
5
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
6
c.
In
lieu
of
paragraph
“b”
,
a
person
wishing
to
vote
may
7
establish
identity
and
residency
in
the
precinct
by
written
8
oath
of
a
person
who
is
registered
to
vote
in
the
precinct.
9
Before
signing
an
oath
under
this
paragraph,
the
attesting
10
registered
voter
shall
present
to
the
precinct
election
11
official
proof
of
the
voter’s
identity,
as
described
in
section
12
49.78,
subsection
2
or
3
.
The
registered
voter’s
oath
shall
13
attest
to
the
stated
identity
of
the
person
wishing
to
vote
14
and
that
the
person
is
a
current
resident
of
the
precinct.
15
The
oath
must
be
signed
by
the
attesting
registered
voter
in
16
the
presence
of
the
appropriate
precinct
election
official.
17
A
registered
voter
who
has
signed
an
oath
on
election
day
18
attesting
to
a
person’s
identity
and
residency
as
provided
in
19
this
paragraph
is
prohibited
from
signing
any
further
oaths
as
20
provided
in
this
paragraph
on
that
day.
21
Sec.
4.
Section
48A.38,
subsection
1,
paragraph
f,
Code
22
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
23
f.
The
county
commissioner
of
registration
and
the
state
24
registrar
of
voters
shall
remove
a
voter’s
whole
or
partial
25
social
security
number,
as
applicable,
voter
identification
26
number
assigned
by
the
state
commissioner,
Iowa
driver’s
27
license
number,
or
Iowa
nonoperator’s
identification
card
28
number
from
a
voter
registration
list
prepared
pursuant
to
this
29
section
.
30
Sec.
5.
Section
49.37,
Code
2019,
is
amended
by
striking
the
31
section
and
inserting
in
lieu
thereof
the
following:
32
49.37
Arrangement
of
ballot.
33
1.
For
general
elections,
and
for
other
elections
in
which
34
more
than
one
partisan
office
will
be
filled,
the
first
section
35
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of
the
ballot
shall
be
for
straight
party
voting.
1
a.
Each
political
party
or
organization
which
has
2
nominated
candidates
for
more
than
one
office
shall
be
listed.
3
Instructions
to
the
voter
for
straight
party
or
organization
4
voting
shall
be
in
substantially
the
following
form:
5
To
vote
for
all
candidates
from
a
single
party
or
6
organization,
mark
the
voting
target
next
to
the
party
or
7
organization
name.
Not
all
parties
or
organizations
have
8
nominated
candidates
for
all
offices.
Marking
a
straight
party
9
or
organization
vote
does
not
include
votes
for
nonpartisan
10
offices,
judges,
or
questions.
11
b.
Political
parties
and
nonparty
political
organizations
12
which
have
nominated
candidates
for
only
one
office
shall
13
be
listed
below
the
other
political
organizations
under
the
14
following
heading:
15
Other
Political
Organizations.
The
following
organizations
16
have
nominated
candidates
for
only
one
office:
17
c.
Offices
shall
be
arranged
in
groups.
Partisan
offices,
18
nonpartisan
offices,
judges,
and
public
measures
shall
be
19
separated
by
a
distinct
line
appearing
on
the
ballot.
20
2.
The
commissioner
shall
arrange
the
ballot
in
conformity
21
with
the
certificate
issued
by
the
state
commissioner
under
22
section
43.73,
in
that
the
names
of
the
respective
candidates
23
for
each
political
party
shall
appear
in
the
order
they
24
appeared
on
the
certificate,
above
or
to
the
left
of
the
25
nonparty
political
organization
candidates.
26
3.
The
commissioner
shall
arrange
the
partisan
county
27
offices
on
the
ballot
with
the
board
of
supervisors
first,
28
followed
by
the
other
county
offices
in
the
same
sequence
in
29
which
they
appear
in
section
39.17.
Nonpartisan
offices
shall
30
be
listed
after
partisan
offices.
31
Sec.
6.
Section
49.53,
subsection
1,
Code
2019,
is
amended
32
to
read
as
follows:
33
1.
The
commissioner
shall
not
less
than
four
nor
more
than
34
twenty
days
before
the
day
of
each
election,
except
those
for
35
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which
different
publication
requirements
are
prescribed
by
law,
1
publish
notice
of
the
election.
The
notice
shall
contain
a
2
facsimile
of
the
portion
of
the
ballot
containing
the
first
3
rotation
as
prescribed
by
section
49.31,
subsection
2
,
and
4
shall
show
the
names
of
all
candidates
or
nominees
and
the
5
office
each
seeks,
and
all
public
questions,
to
be
voted
upon
6
at
the
election.
The
sample
ballot
published
as
a
part
of
the
7
notice
may
at
the
discretion
of
the
commissioner
be
reduced
in
8
size
relative
to
the
actual
ballot
but
such
reduction
shall
9
not
cause
upper
case
letters
appearing
in
candidates’
names
or
10
in
summaries
of
public
measures
on
the
published
sample
ballot
11
to
be
less
than
nine
point
type.
The
notice
shall
also
state
12
the
date
of
the
election,
the
hours
the
polls
will
be
open,
13
that
each
voter
is
required
to
provide
identification
at
the
14
polling
place
before
the
voter
can
receive
and
cast
a
ballot,
15
the
location
of
each
polling
place
at
which
voting
is
to
occur
16
in
the
election,
and
the
names
of
the
precincts
voting
at
each
17
polling
place,
but
the
statement
need
not
set
forth
any
fact
18
which
is
apparent
from
the
portion
of
the
ballot
appearing
as
19
a
part
of
the
same
notice.
The
notice
shall
include
the
full
20
text
of
all
public
measures
to
be
voted
upon
at
the
election.
21
Sec.
7.
Section
49.57,
subsection
2,
Code
2019,
is
amended
22
to
read
as
follows:
23
2.
In
the
area
of
the
general
election
ballot
for
straight
24
party
voting,
the
party
or
organization
names
shall
be
printed
25
in
upper
case
and
lower
case
letters
using
a
uniform
font
size
26
for
each
political
party
or
nonparty
political
organization.
27
The
font
size
shall
not
be
less
than
twelve
point
type.
After
28
the
name
of
each
candidate
for
a
partisan
office
the
name
of
29
the
candidate’s
political
party
shall
be
printed
in
at
least
30
six
point
type.
The
names
of
political
parties
and
nonparty
31
political
organizations
may
be
abbreviated
on
the
remainder
of
32
the
ballot
if
both
the
full
name
and
the
abbreviation
appear
33
in
the
“Straight
Party”
and
“Other
Political
Party”
areas
of
34
the
ballot.
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Sec.
8.
Section
49.77,
subsection
1,
unnumbered
paragraph
1
1,
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
The
board
members
of
their
respective
precincts
shall
have
3
charge
of
the
ballots
and
shall
furnish
them
to
the
voters
4
after
verifying
each
voter’s
identity
pursuant
to
section
5
49.78
.
6
Sec.
9.
Section
49.81,
subsection
2,
Code
2019,
is
amended
7
by
striking
the
subsection.
8
Sec.
10.
NEW
SECTION
.
49.94
How
to
mark
a
straight
ticket.
9
If
all
the
candidates
for
whom
a
voter
desires
to
vote
in
any
10
election
other
than
the
primary
election
were
nominated
by
the
11
same
political
party
or
nonparty
political
organization,
and
12
the
voter
desires
to
vote
for
all
candidates
nominated
by
that
13
political
party
or
organization,
the
voter
may
do
so
in
any
one
14
of
the
following
ways:
15
1.
The
voter
may
mark
the
voting
target
next
to
the
name
of
16
the
political
party
or
nonparty
political
organization
in
the
17
straight
party
or
organization
section
of
the
ballot
without
18
marking
any
voting
target
next
to
the
name
of
a
candidate
19
nominated
by
the
party
or
organization.
20
2.
The
voter
may
mark
the
voting
target
next
to
the
name
21
of
the
political
party
or
nonparty
political
organization
in
22
the
straight
party
or
organization
section
of
the
ballot
and
23
also
mark
any
or
all
of
the
voting
targets
next
to
the
names
of
24
candidates
nominated
by
that
party
or
organization.
25
Sec.
11.
NEW
SECTION
.
49.95
Voting
part
of
ticket
only.
26
If
all
the
candidates
for
whom
the
voter
desires
to
vote
were
27
nominated
by
the
same
political
party
or
nonparty
political
28
organization
but
the
voter
does
not
desire
to
vote
for
all
of
29
the
candidates
nominated
by
the
party
or
organization,
the
30
voter
shall
mark
the
voting
target
next
to
the
name
of
each
31
candidate
for
whom
the
voter
desires
to
vote
without
marking
32
the
target
next
to
the
name
of
the
party
or
organization
in
the
33
straight
party
or
organization
section
of
the
ballot.
34
Sec.
12.
NEW
SECTION
.
49.96
Offices
with
more
than
one
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person
to
be
elected.
1
Where
more
than
one
person
is
to
be
elected
to
the
same
2
office
at
the
same
election,
and
all
of
the
candidates
for
3
that
office
for
whom
the
voter
desires
to
vote
were
nominated
4
by
the
political
party
or
nonparty
political
organization
for
5
which
the
voter
has
marked
a
straight
party
or
organization
6
vote,
the
voter
need
not
otherwise
indicate
the
vote
for
that
7
office.
However,
if
a
voter
who
has
marked
a
straight
party
8
or
organization
ticket
also
marks
the
voting
targets
next
to
9
the
names
of
one
or
more
candidates
for
any
office,
only
the
10
votes
cast
separately
for
individual
candidates
for
that
office
11
shall
be
counted.
If
the
voter
wishes
to
vote
for
candidates
12
who
were
nominated
by
different
political
parties
or
nonparty
13
political
organizations,
the
voter
must
mark
the
voting
target
14
for
each
candidate
the
voter
has
chosen,
whether
or
not
the
15
voter
has
also
marked
a
straight
party
or
organization
vote.
16
Sec.
13.
NEW
SECTION
.
49.97
How
to
mark
a
mixed
ticket.
17
If
all
candidates
for
whom
a
voter
desires
to
vote
were
not
18
nominated
by
the
same
political
party
or
nonparty
political
19
organization,
the
voter
may
indicate
the
candidates
of
20
the
voter’s
choice
by
marking
the
ballot
in
any
one
of
the
21
following
ways:
22
1.
The
voter
may
mark
a
straight
party
or
organization
23
vote
for
the
party
or
nonparty
political
organization
which
24
nominated
some
of
the
candidates
for
whom
the
voter
desires
25
to
vote
and
vote
for
candidates
of
other
parties
or
nonparty
26
political
organizations
by
marking
the
voting
targets
next
to
27
their
names.
28
2.
The
voter
may
vote
for
each
candidate
separately
without
29
marking
any
straight
party
or
organization
vote.
30
Sec.
14.
Section
49.98,
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
31
follows:
32
49.98
Counting
ballots.
33
The
ballots
shall
be
counted
according
to
the
voters’
marks
34
on
them
as
provided
in
sections
49.92
and
49.93
to
49.97
,
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and
not
otherwise.
If,
for
any
reason,
it
is
impossible
1
to
determine
from
a
ballot,
as
marked,
the
choice
of
the
2
voter
for
any
office,
the
vote
for
that
office
shall
not
be
3
counted.
When
there
is
a
conflict
between
a
straight
party
or
4
organization
vote
for
one
political
party
or
nonparty
political
5
organization
and
the
vote
cast
by
marking
the
voting
target
6
next
to
the
name
of
a
candidate
for
another
political
party
or
7
nonparty
political
organization
on
the
ballot,
the
mark
next
8
to
the
name
of
the
candidate
shall
be
held
to
control,
and
the
9
straight
party
or
organization
vote
in
that
case
shall
not
10
apply
as
to
that
office.
A
ballot
shall
be
rejected
if
the
11
voter
used
a
mark
to
identify
the
voter’s
ballot.
The
For
each
12
voting
system,
the
state
commissioner
shall,
by
rule
adopted
13
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
,
develop
uniform
definitions
of
what
14
constitutes
a
vote.
15
Sec.
15.
Section
49.124,
subsection
3,
Code
2019,
is
amended
16
by
striking
the
subsection.
17
Sec.
16.
Section
53.2,
subsection
4,
Code
2019,
is
amended
18
to
read
as
follows:
19
4.
a.
Each
application
shall
contain
the
following
20
information:
21
(1)
The
name
and
signature
of
the
registered
voter.
22
(2)
The
registered
voter’s
date
of
birth.
23
(3)
The
address
at
which
the
voter
is
registered
to
vote.
24
(4)
The
registered
voter’s
voter
verification
number.
25
(5)
(4)
The
name
or
date
of
the
election
for
which
the
26
absentee
ballot
is
requested.
27
(6)
(5)
Such
other
information
as
may
be
necessary
to
28
determine
the
correct
absentee
ballot
for
the
registered
voter.
29
b.
If
insufficient
information
has
been
provided,
including
30
the
absence
of
a
voter
verification
number,
either
on
the
31
prescribed
form
or
on
an
application
created
by
the
applicant,
32
the
commissioner
shall,
by
the
best
means
available,
obtain
33
the
additional
necessary
information.
A
voter
requesting
34
or
casting
a
ballot
pursuant
to
section
53.22
shall
not
be
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required
to
provide
a
voter
verification
number.
1
c.
For
purposes
of
this
subsection
,
“voter
verification
2
number”
means
the
registered
voter’s
driver’s
license
number
3
or
nonoperator’s
identification
card
number
assigned
to
the
4
voter
by
the
department
of
transportation
or
the
registered
5
voter’s
identification
number
assigned
to
the
voter
by
the
6
state
commissioner
pursuant
to
section
47.7,
subsection
2
.
7
Sec.
17.
Section
53.22,
subsection
8,
Code
2019,
is
amended
8
by
striking
the
subsection.
9
Sec.
18.
Section
53.25,
subsection
1,
paragraph
b,
Code
10
2019,
is
amended
by
striking
the
paragraph.
11
Sec.
19.
Section
53.25,
subsection
2,
Code
2019,
is
amended
12
to
read
as
follows:
13
2.
If
the
absentee
or
provisional
ballot
is
rejected
prior
14
to
the
opening
of
the
affidavit
envelope
or
return
envelope
15
marked
with
the
affidavit,
the
voter
casting
the
ballot
shall
16
be
notified
by
a
precinct
election
official
by
the
time
the
17
canvass
is
completed
of
the
reason
for
the
rejection
on
a
form
18
prescribed
by
the
state
commissioner
of
elections.
19
Sec.
20.
REPEAL.
Sections
48A.10A
and
49.78,
Code
2019,
20
are
repealed.
21
Sec.
21.
APPLICABILITY.
This
Act
applies
to
elections
held
22
on
or
after
the
effective
date
of
this
Act.
23
EXPLANATION
24
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
25
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
26
This
bill
relates
to
the
administration
of
elections,
27
including
voter
identity
verification
and
straight
party
28
voting.
The
bill
removes
the
requirement
that
a
voter
29
establish
the
voter’s
identity
by
providing
certain
documents.
30
The
bill
also
removes
the
requirement
that
a
registered
voter
31
swearing
an
oath
attesting
to
another
voter’s
eligibility
to
32
vote
prove
the
registered
voter’s
identity
by
providing
certain
33
documents.
The
bill
repeals
the
program
for
the
automatic
34
issuance
of
voter
identification
cards
to
registered
voters
who
35
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do
not
have
a
driver’s
license
or
nonoperator’s
identification
1
card.
2
The
bill
also
allows
a
voter
to
vote
for
all
candidates
of
3
a
single
party
that
has
multiple
candidates
on
a
ballot
by
4
marking
a
voting
target
on
the
first
section
of
the
ballot.
5
In
cases
where
more
than
one
person
is
being
elected
to
a
6
single
office,
the
voter
must
mark
each
candidate
for
whom
the
7
voter
desires
to
vote
if
the
candidates
do
not
all
belong
to
8
the
party
for
which
the
voter
cast
a
straight
party
vote.
If
9
there
is
a
conflict
between
a
straight
party
vote
and
a
vote
10
for
a
candidate
not
of
that
party,
the
vote
for
the
individual
11
candidate
controls.
12
The
bill
removes
the
requirement
that
a
voter
applying
for
an
13
absentee
ballot
provide
the
voter’s
voter
verification
number
14
on
the
application
for
an
absentee
ballot.
15
The
bill
applies
to
elections
held
on
or
after
the
effective
16
date
of
the
bill.
17
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