Bill Text: IA HF135 | 2021-2022 | 89th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: A bill for an act allowing registered voters to make applications for absentee ballots through electronic means and making penalties applicable.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-01-21 - Introduced, referred to State Government. H.J. 134. [HF135 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2021-HF135-Introduced.html
House File 135 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 135 BY HUNTER , OLSON , JACOBY , WESSEL-KROESCHELL , KRESSIG , STECKMAN , CAHILL , WILBURN , STAED , KONFRST , JAMES , MASCHER , BROWN-POWERS , and GJERDE A BILL FOR An Act allowing registered voters to make applications for 1 absentee ballots through electronic means and making 2 penalties applicable. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1577YH (2) 89 ss/jh
H.F. 135 Section 1. Section 47.2, Code 2021, is amended by adding the 1 following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 9. The commissioner shall provide for 3 the submission of electronic absentee ballot applications on 4 the commissioner’s internet site pursuant to section 53.2, 5 subsection 1, paragraph “c” . 6 Sec. 2. Section 53.2, subsection 1, Code 2021, is amended by 7 adding the following new paragraph: 8 NEW PARAGRAPH . c. A registered voter may apply to the 9 commissioner for an absentee ballot through electronic means 10 either through electronic mail sent to the commissioner or 11 through the commissioner’s internet site. An electronic 12 application for an absentee ballot must be received by the 13 commissioner no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the 14 election. An electronic application for an absentee ballot 15 received by the commissioner more than seventy days prior to 16 the date of the election shall be retained by the commissioner 17 and processed in the same manner as an electronic application 18 received not more than seventy days before the date of the 19 election. 20 Sec. 3. Section 53.2, subsection 4, paragraph a, Code 2021, 21 is amended to read as follows: 22 a. To request an absentee ballot, a registered voter shall 23 provide: 24 (1) The name and signature of the registered voter. 25 (1A) For an application submitted pursuant to subsection 1, 26 paragraph “a” or “b” , the signature of the registered voter. 27 (2) The registered voter’s date of birth. 28 (3) The address at which the voter is registered to vote. 29 (4) The registered voter’s voter verification number 30 or, for an application submitted pursuant to subsection 1, 31 paragraph “c” , either the registered voter’s voter verification 32 number or the last four numerals of the registered voter’s 33 social security number . 34 (5) The name or date of the election for which the absentee 35 -1- LSB 1577YH (2) 89 ss/jh 1/ 2
H.F. 135 ballot is requested. 1 (6) Such other information as may be necessary to determine 2 the correct absentee ballot for the registered voter. 3 EXPLANATION 4 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 5 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 6 This bill allows registered voters to make applications for 7 absentee ballots through electronic means. Under the bill, a 8 registered voter may apply to the commissioner for an absentee 9 ballot either through electronic mail or through the county 10 commissioner of election’s internet site. 11 An electronic application for an absentee ballot must be 12 received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the 13 election. If the commissioner receives such an application 14 more than 70 days prior to the date of the election, the 15 commissioner is required to retain the application and process 16 it in the same manner as an electronic application received 17 not more than 70 days before the date of the election. These 18 provisions are the same as those for written applications under 19 current law. 20 An electronic application for an absentee ballot is 21 required to contain all of the same information as a written 22 application, except that such an application need not include a 23 signature and may include the last four digits of the voter’s 24 social security number in lieu of a voter verification number. 25 Under current law, a person commits election misconduct 26 in the first degree if the person makes a false or untrue 27 statement in an application for an absentee ballot or makes or 28 signs a false certification or affidavit in connection with 29 an absentee ballot. Election misconduct in the first degree 30 is a class “D” felony. A class “D” felony is punishable by 31 confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least 32 $1,025 but not more than $10,245. 33 -2- LSB 1577YH (2) 89 ss/jh 2/ 2
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