Bill Text: IA SF415 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Enrolled
Bill Title: A bill for an act related to elections administration. (Formerly SSB 1215.) Effective 7-1-15.
Sponsorship: Committee Bill
Status: (Passed) 2015-05-01 - Signed by Governor. S.J. 962. [SF415 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-SF415-Enrolled.html
Senate File 415 - Enrolled
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON STATE
GOVERNMENT
(SUCCESSOR TO SSB
1215)
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A BILL FOR
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Senate File 415
AN ACT
RELATED TO ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 43.45, Code 2015, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 3. Notwithstanding any requirement to
the contrary in subsection 1 and subsection 2, paragraph "c",
the commissioner of a county using digital ballot counting
technology may direct the precinct election officials to tally
and record write=in votes at the precincts after the closing
of the polls or may direct the precinct election officials
to sort the ballots by write=in votes for delivery to the
special precinct board to tally and record the write=in votes
on any day following election day and prior to the canvass
by the board of supervisors under section 43.49. For the
purposes of this subsection "digital ballot counting technology"
is technology in which digital images of write=in votes are
printed by the precinct election officials at the polling place
after the close of voting.
Sec. 2. Section 50.24, subsection 2, Code 2015, is amended
to read as follows:
2. Upon convening, the board shall open and canvass the
tally lists and shall prepare abstracts stating the number of
votes cast in the county, or in that portion of the county
in which the election was held, for each office and on each
question on the ballot for the election. The board shall
contact the chairperson of the special precinct board before
adjourning and include in the canvass any write=in votes
tallied and recorded by the special precinct board or any
absentee ballots which were received after the polls closed in
accordance with section 53.17 and which were canvassed by the
special precinct board after election day. The abstract shall
further indicate the name of each person who received votes for
each office on the ballot, and the number of votes each person
named received for that office, and the number of votes for and
against each question submitted to the voters at the election.
The votes of all write=in candidates who each received less
than five percent of the votes cast for an office shall be
reported collectively under the heading "scattering".
Sec. 3. Section 53.20, subsection 1, Code 2015, is amended
to read as follows:
1. There is established in each county a special precinct to
be known as the absentee ballot and special voters precinct.
Its jurisdiction shall be conterminous with the borders of the
county, for the purposes specified by sections 53.22 and 53.23,
and the requirement that precincts not cross the boundaries
of legislative districts shall not be applicable to it. The
commissioner shall draw up an election board panel for the
special precinct in the manner prescribed by section 49.15,
having due regard for the nature and extent of the duties
required of members of the election board and the election
officers to be appointed from the panel, including, if directed
by the commissioner, the tallying and recording of write=in
votes.
PAM JOCHUM
President of the Senate
KRAIG PAULSEN
Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the Senate and
is known as Senate File 415, Eighty=sixth General Assembly.
MICHAEL E. MARSHALL
Secretary of the Senate
Approved , 2015
TERRY E. BRANSTAD
Governor
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