Bill Text: IA HF55 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced

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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 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-26 - Subcommittee: Koester, Highfill and Hunter. H.J. 130. [HF55 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2017-HF55-Introduced.html

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House File 55 - Introduced




                                 HOUSE FILE       
                                 BY  HUNTER

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act allowing registered voters to make applications for
  2    absentee ballots through electronic means and making
  3    penalties applicable.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 47.2, Code 2017, is amended by adding the
  1  2 following new subsection:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  7.  The commissioner shall provide for
  1  4 the submission of electronic absentee ballot applications on
  1  5 the commissioner's internet site pursuant to section 53.2,
  1  6 subsection 1, paragraph "c".
  1  7    Sec. 2.  Section 53.2, subsection 1, Code 2017, is amended by
  1  8 adding the following new paragraph:
  1  9    NEW PARAGRAPH.  c.  A registered voter may apply to the
  1 10 commissioner for an absentee ballot through electronic means
  1 11 either through electronic mail sent to the commissioner or
  1 12 through the commissioner's internet site. An electronic
  1 13 application for an absentee ballot must be received by the
  1 14 commissioner no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the
  1 15 election. An electronic application for an absentee ballot
  1 16 received by the commissioner more than seventy days prior to
  1 17 the date of the election shall be retained by the commissioner
  1 18 and processed in the same manner as an electronic application
  1 19 received not more than seventy days before the date of the
  1 20 election.
  1 21    Sec. 3.  Section 53.2, subsection 4, Code 2017, is amended
  1 22 to read as follows:
  1 23    4.  a.  Each application shall contain the name and signature
  1 24  of the registered voter, the registered voter's date of birth,
  1 25 the address at which the voter is registered to vote, and the
  1 26 name or date of the election for which the absentee ballot is
  1 27 requested, and such other information as may be necessary to
  1 28 determine the correct absentee ballot for the registered voter.
  1 29 If insufficient information has been provided, either on the
  1 30 prescribed form or on an application created by the applicant,
  1 31 the commissioner shall, by the best means available, obtain the
  1 32 additional necessary information.
  1 33    b.  In addition to the other requirements of this section:
  1 34    (1)  An application received pursuant to subsection 1,
  1 35 paragraph "a" or "b", shall contain the signature of the
  2  1 registered voter.
  2  2    (2)  An application received pursuant to subsection 1,
  2  3 paragraph "c", shall include at least one of the following:
  2  4    (a)  The Iowa driver's license number of the registered
  2  5 voter.
  2  6    (b)  The Iowa nonoperator's identification card number of
  2  7 the registered voter.
  2  8    (c)  The last four numerals of the registered voter's social
  2  9 security number.
  2 10                           EXPLANATION
  2 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
  2 12 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
  2 13    This bill allows registered voters to make applications for
  2 14 absentee ballots through electronic means. Under the bill, a
  2 15 registered voter may apply to the commissioner for an absentee
  2 16 ballot either through electronic mail or through the county
  2 17 commissioner of election's internet site.
  2 18    An electronic application for an absentee ballot must be
  2 19 received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the
  2 20 election. If the commissioner receives such an application
  2 21 more than 70 days prior to the date of the election, the
  2 22 commissioner is required to retain the application and process
  2 23 it in the same manner as an electronic application received
  2 24 not more than 70 days before the date of the election. These
  2 25 provisions are the same as those for written applications under
  2 26 current law.
  2 27    An electronic application for an absentee ballot is
  2 28 required to contain all of the same information as a written
  2 29 application, except that, in lieu of the registered voter's
  2 30 signature, an electronic application is required to include
  2 31 the registered voter's Iowa driver's license number, Iowa
  2 32 nonoperator's identification card number, or the last four
  2 33 numerals of the registered voter's social security number.
  2 34    Under current law, a person commits election misconduct
  2 35 in the first degree if the person makes a false or untrue
  3  1 statement in an application for an absentee ballot or makes or
  3  2 signs a false certification or affidavit in connection with
  3  3 an absentee ballot. Election misconduct in the first degree
  3  4 is a class "D" felony. A class "D" felony is punishable by
  3  5 confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least
  3  6 $750 but not more than $7,500.
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