Bill Text: IA SF90 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the automatic mailing of ballots and including applicability provisions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-01-29 - Subcommittee: R. Smith, Chapman, and Jochum. S.J. 187. [SF90 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2019-SF90-Introduced.html
Senate
File
90
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
90
BY
JOCHUM
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
the
automatic
mailing
of
ballots
and
1
including
applicability
provisions.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
TLSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
S.F.
90
Section
1.
Section
22.7,
subsection
72,
Code
2019,
is
1
amended
by
striking
the
subsection.
2
Sec.
2.
Section
39A.4,
subsection
1,
paragraph
c,
3
subparagraphs
(11)
and
(12),
Code
2019,
are
amended
to
read
as
4
follows:
5
(11)
Returning
a
voted
absentee
ballot
,
by
mail
,
to
a
ballot
6
drop
box,
or
in
person,
to
the
commissioner’s
office
and
the
7
person
returning
the
ballot
is
not
the
voter,
the
voter’s
8
designee,
or
a
special
precinct
election
official
designated
9
pursuant
to
section
53.22,
subsection
2
.
10
(12)
Making
a
false
or
untrue
statement
reporting
that
11
a
voted
absentee
ballot
was
returned
to
the
commissioner’s
12
office,
by
mail
or
in
person,
or
to
a
ballot
drop
box,
by
a
13
person
other
than
the
voter,
the
voter’s
designee,
or
a
special
14
precinct
election
official
designated
pursuant
to
section
15
53.22,
subsection
2
.
16
Sec.
3.
Section
53.1,
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
17
follows:
18
53.1
Right
to
vote
——
conditions
power
of
attorney
.
19
1.
Any
registered
voter
may,
subject
to
the
provisions
of
20
this
chapter
,
vote
at
any
election:
21
a.
When
the
voter
expects
to
be
absent
on
election
day
22
during
the
time
the
polls
are
open
from
the
precinct
in
which
23
the
voter
is
a
registered
voter.
24
b.
When,
through
illness
or
physical
disability,
the
voter
25
expects
to
be
prevented
from
going
to
the
polls
and
voting
on
26
election
day.
27
c.
When
the
voter
expects
to
be
unable
to
go
to
the
polls
28
and
vote
on
election
day.
29
2.
A
person
who
has
been
designated
to
have
power
of
30
attorney
by
a
registered
voter
does
not
have
authority
31
to
request
or
to
cast
an
absentee
ballot
on
behalf
of
the
32
registered
voter.
33
Sec.
4.
Section
53.7,
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
34
follows:
35
-1-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
1/
13
S.F.
90
53.7
Solicitation
by
public
employees.
1
1.
It
shall
be
unlawful
for
any
employee
of
the
state
or
any
2
employee
of
a
political
subdivision
to
solicit
any
application
3
or
request
for
application
for
an
absentee
ballot,
or
to
take
4
an
affidavit
in
connection
with
any
absentee
ballot
while
the
5
employee
is
on
the
employer’s
premises
or
otherwise
in
the
6
course
of
employment.
However,
any
such
employee
may
take
such
7
affidavit
in
connection
with
an
absentee
ballot
which
is
cast
8
by
the
registered
voter
in
person
in
the
office
where
such
9
employee
is
employed
in
accordance
with
section
53.10
or
53.11
.
10
This
subsection
shall
not
apply
to
any
elected
official.
11
2.
It
is
unlawful
for
any
public
officer
or
employee,
12
or
any
person
acting
under
color
of
a
public
officer
or
13
employee,
to
knowingly
require
a
public
employee
to
solicit
an
14
application
or
request
an
application
for
an
absentee
ballot,
15
or
to
knowingly
require
an
employee
to
take
an
affidavit
or
16
request
for
an
affidavit
in
connection
with
an
absentee
ballot
17
application
.
18
Sec.
5.
Section
53.8,
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
19
follows:
20
53.8
Ballot
mailed.
21
1.
a.
Upon
receipt
of
an
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
22
and
immediately
after
the
absentee
ballots
are
printed,
but
23
not
Not
more
than
twenty-nine
days
before
the
election,
the
24
commissioner
shall
mail
an
absentee
ballot
to
the
applicant
25
within
twenty-four
hours
each
registered
voter
,
except
as
26
otherwise
provided
in
subsection
3
.
The
absentee
ballot
27
shall
be
sent
to
the
registered
voter
by
one
of
the
following
28
methods:
29
(1)
The
absentee
ballot
shall
be
enclosed
in
an
unsealed
30
envelope
marked
with
a
serial
number
and
affidavit.
The
31
absentee
ballot
and
affidavit
envelope
shall
be
enclosed
in
32
or
with
an
unsealed
return
envelope
marked
postage
paid
which
33
bears
the
same
serial
number
as
the
affidavit
envelope.
The
34
absentee
ballot,
affidavit
envelope,
and
return
envelope
shall
35
-2-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
2/
13
S.F.
90
be
enclosed
in
a
third
envelope
to
be
sent
to
the
registered
1
voter.
If
the
ballot
cannot
be
folded
so
that
all
of
the
votes
2
cast
on
the
ballot
will
be
hidden,
the
commissioner
shall
also
3
enclose
a
secrecy
envelope
with
the
absentee
ballot.
4
(2)
The
absentee
ballot
shall
be
enclosed
in
an
unsealed
5
return
envelope
marked
with
a
serial
number
and
affidavit
6
and
marked
postage
paid.
The
absentee
ballot
and
return
7
envelope
shall
be
enclosed
in
a
second
envelope
to
be
sent
8
to
the
registered
voter.
If
the
ballot
cannot
be
folded
so
9
that
all
of
the
votes
cast
on
the
ballot
will
be
hidden,
the
10
commissioner
shall
also
enclose
a
secrecy
envelope
with
the
11
absentee
ballot.
12
b.
The
affidavit
shall
be
marked
on
the
appropriate
envelope
13
in
a
form
prescribed
by
the
state
commissioner
of
elections.
14
c.
For
envelopes
mailed
at
any
election
other
than
the
15
primary
election,
the
commissioner
shall
not
mark
any
envelope
16
with
any
information
related
to
the
party
affiliation
of
the
17
applicant
registered
voter
.
18
2.
a.
The
commissioner
shall
enclose
with
the
absentee
19
ballot
a
statement
informing
the
applicant
registered
20
voter
that
the
sealed
return
envelope
may
be
mailed
to
the
21
commissioner
by
the
registered
voter
or
the
voter’s
designee
,
22
may
be
returned
to
a
drop
box
established
by
the
commissioner
23
pursuant
to
section
53.17,
subsection
1,
by
the
registered
24
voter
or
the
voter’s
designee,
or
may
be
personally
delivered
25
to
the
commissioner’s
office
by
the
registered
voter
or
the
26
voter’s
designee.
The
statement
shall
also
inform
the
voter
27
that
the
voter
may
request
that
the
voter’s
designee
complete
28
a
receipt
when
retrieving
the
ballot
from
the
voter.
A
blank
29
receipt
shall
be
enclosed
with
the
absentee
ballot.
30
b.
If
an
application
is
received
so
late
that
it
is
unlikely
31
that
the
absentee
ballot
can
be
returned
in
time
to
be
counted
32
on
election
day,
the
commissioner
shall
enclose
with
the
33
absentee
ballot
a
statement
to
that
effect.
34
3.
a.
When
an
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
is
35
-3-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
3/
13
S.F.
90
received
mailed
by
the
commissioner
of
any
county
from
to
a
1
registered
voter
who
is
a
patient
in
a
hospital
in
that
county,
2
a
tenant
of
an
assisted
living
program
in
that
county
as
shown
3
by
the
list
of
certifications
provided
the
commissioner
under
4
section
231C.21
,
or
a
resident
of
any
facility
in
that
county
5
shown
to
be
a
health
care
facility
by
the
list
of
licenses
6
provided
the
commissioner
under
section
135C.29
,
the
absentee
7
ballot
shall
be
delivered
to
the
voter
and
returned
to
the
8
commissioner
in
the
manner
prescribed
by
section
53.22
.
For
9
purposes
of
this
paragraph,
“assisted
living
program”
means
a
10
program
certified
pursuant
to
section
231C.3
that
meets
the
11
standards
for
a
dementia-specific
assisted
living
program,
12
as
established
by
rule
by
the
department
of
inspections
and
13
appeals.
14
b.
(1)
If
the
application
is
received
more
than
five
15
days
before
the
ballots
are
printed
and
the
commissioner
has
16
elected
to
have
the
ballots
personally
delivered
during
the
17
ten-day
period
after
the
ballots
are
printed,
the
commissioner
18
shall
mail
to
the
applicant
within
twenty-four
hours
a
letter
19
in
substantially
the
following
form:
The
state
commissioner
20
shall
adopt
rules
regarding
the
delivery
and
return
of
absentee
21
ballots
pursuant
to
this
subsection.
22
Your
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
for
the
election
23
to
be
held
on
......
has
been
received.
This
ballot
will
24
be
personally
delivered
to
you
by
a
bipartisan
team
sometime
25
during
the
ten
days
after
the
ballots
are
printed.
If
you
will
26
not
be
at
the
address
from
which
your
application
was
sent
27
during
any
or
all
of
the
ten-day
period
immediately
following
28
the
printing
of
the
ballots,
the
ballot
will
be
personally
29
delivered
to
you
sometime
during
the
fourteen
days
preceding
30
the
election.
If
you
will
not
be
at
the
address
from
which
31
your
application
was
sent
during
either
of
these
time
periods,
32
contact
this
office
and
arrangements
will
be
made
to
have
your
33
absentee
ballot
delivered
at
a
time
when
you
will
be
present
at
34
that
address.
35
-4-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
4/
13
S.F.
90
(2)
If
the
application
is
received
more
than
fourteen
1
calendar
days
before
the
election
and
the
commissioner
has
not
2
elected
to
mail
absentee
ballots
to
applicants
as
provided
3
under
section
53.22,
subsection
4
,
and
has
not
elected
to
have
4
the
absentee
ballots
personally
delivered
during
the
ten-day
5
period
after
the
ballots
are
printed,
the
commissioner
shall
6
mail
to
the
applicant
within
twenty-four
hours
a
letter
in
7
substantially
the
following
form:
8
Your
application
for
an
absentee
ballot
for
the
election
9
to
be
held
on
......
has
been
received.
This
ballot
will
10
be
personally
delivered
to
you
by
a
bipartisan
team
sometime
11
during
the
fourteen
days
preceding
the
election.
If
you
will
12
not
be
at
the
address
from
which
your
application
was
sent
13
during
any
or
all
of
the
fourteen-day
period
immediately
14
preceding
the
election,
contact
this
office
and
arrangements
15
will
be
made
to
have
your
absentee
ballot
delivered
at
a
time
16
when
you
will
be
present
at
that
address.
17
c.
Nothing
in
this
subsection
nor
in
section
53.22
18
shall
be
construed
to
prohibit
a
registered
voter
who
is
a
19
hospital
patient
or
resident
of
a
health
care
facility,
or
who
20
anticipates
entering
a
hospital
or
health
care
facility
before
21
the
date
of
a
forthcoming
election,
from
casting
an
absentee
22
ballot
in
the
manner
prescribed
by
section
53.10
or
53.11
.
23
Sec.
6.
Section
53.10,
subsection
2,
Code
2019,
is
amended
24
to
read
as
follows:
25
2.
a.
Each
person
who
wishes
to
vote
by
absentee
ballot
26
at
the
commissioner’s
office
shall
first
sign
an
application
27
for
a
ballot
including
the
following
information:
name,
28
current
address,
voter
verification
number,
and
the
election
29
for
which
the
ballot
is
requested.
The
person
may
report
a
30
change
of
address
or
other
information
on
the
person’s
voter
31
registration
record
at
that
time.
The
registered
voter
shall
32
immediately
mark
the
ballot;
enclose
the
ballot
in
a
secrecy
33
envelope,
if
necessary,
and
seal
it
in
the
envelope
marked
34
with
the
affidavit;
subscribe
to
the
affidavit
on
the
reverse
35
-5-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
5/
13
S.F.
90
side
of
the
envelope;
and
return
the
absentee
ballot
to
the
1
commissioner.
The
commissioner
shall
record
the
numbers
2
appearing
on
the
application
and
affidavit
envelope
along
with
3
the
name
of
the
registered
voter.
4
b.
For
purposes
of
this
subsection
,
“voter
verification
5
number”
means
the
registered
voter’s
driver’s
license
number
6
or
nonoperator’s
identification
card
number
assigned
to
the
7
voter
by
the
department
of
transportation
or
the
registered
8
voter’s
identification
number
assigned
to
the
voter
by
the
9
state
commissioner
pursuant
to
section
47.7,
subsection
2
.
10
Sec.
7.
Section
53.12,
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
11
follows:
12
53.12
Duty
of
commissioner.
13
The
commissioner
shall
enclose
the
absentee
ballot
in
14
an
unsealed
envelope,
to
be
furnished
by
the
commissioner,
15
which
envelope
shall
bear
upon
its
face
the
words
“county
16
commissioner
of
elections”,
the
address
of
the
commissioner’s
17
office,
and
the
same
a
serial
number
appearing
on
the
unsealed
18
envelope
shall
be
affixed
to
the
application
.
19
Sec.
8.
Section
53.17,
subsection
1,
Code
2019,
is
amended
20
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
21
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
c.
The
sealed
return
envelope
may
be
22
delivered
by
the
registered
voter,
by
the
voter’s
designee,
or
23
by
the
special
precinct
election
officials
designated
pursuant
24
to
section
53.22,
subsection
2,
to
a
drop
box
established
by
25
the
commissioner
no
later
than
the
time
the
polls
are
closed
on
26
election
day.
However,
if
delivered
by
the
voter’s
designee,
27
the
envelope
shall
be
delivered
within
seventy-two
hours
of
28
retrieving
it
from
the
voter
or
before
the
closing
of
the
polls
29
on
election
day,
whichever
is
earlier.
The
state
commissioner
30
shall
adopt
rules
regarding
the
security
of
drop
boxes.
This
31
paragraph
does
not
require
a
commissioner
to
establish
a
drop
32
box.
33
Sec.
9.
Section
53.17,
subsection
4,
paragraph
f,
Code
2019,
34
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
35
-6-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
6/
13
S.F.
90
f.
A
statement
that
the
completed
absentee
ballot
will
be
1
delivered
to
the
commissioner’s
office
or
a
drop
box
within
2
seventy-two
hours
of
retrieving
it
from
the
voter
or
before
the
3
closing
of
the
polls
on
election
day,
whichever
is
earlier,
4
or
that
the
completed
absentee
ballot
will
be
mailed
to
the
5
commissioner
within
seventy-two
hours
of
retrieving
it
from
6
the
voter
or
within
time
to
be
postmarked
or,
if
applicable,
7
to
have
the
intelligent
mail
barcode
traced
to
a
date
of
entry
8
into
the
federal
mail
system
not
later
than
the
day
before
the
9
election,
whichever
is
earlier.
10
Sec.
10.
Section
53.18,
subsection
3,
Code
2019,
is
amended
11
to
read
as
follows:
12
3.
If
the
affidavit
envelope
or
the
return
envelope
marked
13
with
the
affidavit
contains
a
defect
that
would
cause
the
14
absentee
ballot
to
be
rejected
by
the
absentee
and
special
15
voters
precinct
board,
the
commissioner
shall
immediately
16
notify
the
voter
of
that
fact
and
that
the
voter’s
absentee
17
ballot
shall
not
be
counted
unless
the
voter
requests
and
18
returns
a
replacement
ballot
in
the
time
permitted
under
19
section
53.17,
subsection
2
.
For
the
purposes
of
this
section
,
20
a
return
envelope
marked
with
the
affidavit
shall
be
considered
21
to
contain
a
defect
if
it
appears
to
the
commissioner
that
22
the
signature
on
the
envelope
has
been
signed
by
someone
23
other
than
the
registered
voter,
in
comparing
the
signature
24
on
the
envelope
to
the
signature
on
record
of
the
registered
25
voter
named
on
the
envelope.
A
signature
or
marking
made
26
in
accordance
with
section
39.3,
subsection
17
,
shall
not
27
be
considered
a
defect
for
purposes
of
this
section
.
The
28
voter
may
request
a
replacement
ballot
in
person,
in
writing,
29
or
over
the
telephone.
The
same
serial
number
that
was
30
assigned
to
the
records
of
the
original
absentee
ballot
31
application
shall
be
used
on
the
envelope
and
records
of
the
32
replacement
ballot.
The
envelope
marked
with
the
affidavit
and
33
containing
the
completed
replacement
ballot
shall
be
marked
34
“Replacement
ballot”.
The
envelope
marked
with
the
affidavit
35
-7-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
7/
13
S.F.
90
and
containing
the
original
ballot
shall
be
marked
“Defective”
1
and
the
replacement
ballot
shall
be
attached
to
such
envelope
2
containing
the
original
ballot
and
shall
be
stored
in
a
secure
3
place
until
they
are
delivered
to
the
absentee
and
special
4
voters
precinct
board,
notwithstanding
sections
53.26
and
5
53.27
.
6
Sec.
11.
Section
53.19,
subsection
1,
Code
2019,
is
amended
7
to
read
as
follows:
8
1.
The
commissioner
shall
maintain
a
list
of
the
absentee
9
ballots
provided
to
registered
voters,
the
serial
number
10
appearing
on
the
unsealed
envelope,
the
date
the
application
11
for
the
absentee
ballot
was
received,
and
the
date
the
absentee
12
ballot
was
sent
to
the
registered
voter
requesting
the
absentee
13
ballot
.
14
Sec.
12.
Section
53.19,
subsection
3,
paragraph
b,
Code
15
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
16
b.
A
registered
voter
who
has
requested
an
absentee
ballot
17
by
mail
but
for
any
reason
has
not
received
it
an
absentee
18
ballot
by
mail
or
who
has
not
brought
the
ballot
to
the
polls
19
may
appear
at
the
voter’s
precinct
polling
place
on
election
20
day
and,
after
the
precinct
election
officials
confirm
the
21
commissioner
has
not
received
the
voter’s
absentee
ballot,
the
22
voter
shall
be
permitted
to
vote
in
person
at
the
polls.
If
23
the
precinct
election
officials
are
unable
to
confirm
whether
24
the
commissioner
has
received
the
voter’s
absentee
ballot,
the
25
voter
shall
cast
a
ballot
in
accordance
with
section
49.81
.
26
Sec.
13.
Section
53.21,
subsection
1,
Code
2019,
is
amended
27
to
read
as
follows:
28
1.
A
voter
who
has
requested
an
absentee
ballot
may
obtain
29
a
replacement
absentee
ballot
if
the
voter
declares
that
the
30
original
ballot
was
lost
or
did
not
arrive.
The
commissioner
31
upon
receipt
of
a
written
or
oral
request
for
a
replacement
32
ballot
shall
provide
a
duplicate
ballot.
The
same
serial
33
number
that
was
assigned
to
the
records
of
the
original
34
absentee
ballot
request
shall
be
used
on
the
envelopes
and
35
-8-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
8/
13
S.F.
90
records
of
the
replacement
ballot.
1
Sec.
14.
Section
53.21,
subsection
2,
paragraph
a,
Code
2
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
3
a.
The
commissioner
shall
include
with
the
replacement
4
ballot
two
copies
of
a
statement
in
substantially
the
following
5
form:
6
The
My
absentee
ballot
which
I
requested
on
........
(date)
7
has
been
lost
or
was
never
received.
If
I
find
this
absentee
8
ballot
I
will
return
it,
unvoted,
to
the
commissioner.
9
.........
10
(Signature
of
voter)
11
.........
12
(Date)
13
Sec.
15.
Section
53.22,
subsection
2,
paragraph
a,
14
subparagraph
(1),
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
15
(1)
A
registered
voter
who
has
applied
for
an
absentee
16
ballot,
in
a
manner
other
than
that
prescribed
by
section
53.10
17
or
53.11
,
and
who
is
a
resident,
tenant,
or
patient
in
a
health
18
care
facility,
assisted
living
program,
or
hospital
located
in
19
the
county
to
which
the
application
has
been
submitted
shall
20
be
delivered
the
appropriate
absentee
ballot
by
two
special
21
precinct
election
officers,
one
of
whom
shall
be
a
member
of
22
each
of
the
political
parties
referred
to
in
section
49.13
,
who
23
shall
be
appointed
by
the
commissioner
from
the
election
board
24
panel
for
the
special
precinct
established
by
section
53.20
.
25
The
special
precinct
election
officers
shall
be
sworn
in
the
26
manner
provided
by
section
49.75
for
election
board
members,
27
shall
receive
compensation
as
provided
in
section
49.20
,
28
and
shall
perform
their
duties
during
the
ten
calendar
days
29
after
the
ballots
are
printed
if
the
commissioner
so
elects,
30
during
the
fourteen
calendar
days
preceding
the
election,
and
31
on
election
day
if
all
ballots
requested
under
section
53.8,
32
subsection
3
,
have
not
previously
been
delivered
and
returned.
33
Sec.
16.
Section
53.22,
subsection
2,
paragraphs
b
and
c,
34
Code
2019,
are
amended
to
read
as
follows:
35
-9-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
9/
13
S.F.
90
b.
If
an
applicant
under
a
registered
voter
subject
to
this
1
subsection
notifies
the
commissioner
that
the
applicant
voter
2
will
not
be
available
at
the
health
care
facility,
assisted
3
living
program,
or
hospital
address
at
any
time
during
the
4
ten-day
period
after
the
ballots
are
printed,
if
applicable,
5
or
during
the
fourteen-day
period
immediately
prior
to
the
6
election,
but
will
be
available
there
at
some
other
time
prior
7
to
the
election
or
on
election
day,
the
commissioner
shall
8
direct
the
two
special
precinct
election
officers
to
deliver
9
the
applicant’s
ballot
at
an
appropriate
time
preceding
the
10
election
or
on
election
day.
If
a
person
who
so
requested
an
11
absentee
ballot
voter
has
been
dismissed
from
the
health
care
12
facility
or
hospital,
or
is
no
longer
a
tenant
of
the
assisted
13
living
program,
the
special
precinct
election
officers
may
take
14
the
ballot
to
the
voter
if
the
voter
is
currently
residing
in
15
the
county.
16
c.
The
special
precinct
election
officers
shall
travel
17
together
in
the
same
vehicle
and
both
shall
be
present
when
18
an
applicant
a
voter
casts
an
absentee
ballot.
If
either
19
or
both
of
the
special
precinct
election
officers
fail
to
20
appear
at
the
time
the
duties
set
forth
in
this
section
are
21
to
be
performed,
the
commissioner
shall
at
once
appoint
some
22
other
person,
giving
preference
to
persons
designated
by
23
the
respective
county
chairpersons
of
the
political
parties
24
described
in
section
49.13
,
to
carry
out
the
requirements
of
25
this
section
.
The
persons
authorized
by
this
subsection
to
26
deliver
an
absentee
ballot
to
an
applicant
a
voter
,
and
if
27
requested,
may
assist
the
applicant
voter
in
filling
out
the
28
ballot
as
permitted
by
section
49.90
.
After
the
voter
has
29
securely
sealed
the
marked
ballot
in
the
envelope
provided
and
30
has
subscribed
to
the
oath,
the
voted
absentee
ballots
shall
31
be
deposited
in
a
sealed
container
which
shall
be
returned
to
32
the
commissioner
on
the
same
day
the
ballots
are
voted.
On
33
election
day
the
officers
shall
return
the
sealed
container
by
34
the
time
the
polls
are
closed.
35
-10-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
10/
13
S.F.
90
Sec.
17.
Section
53.22,
subsections
3,
4,
and
5,
Code
2019,
1
are
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
3.
Any
registered
voter
who
becomes
a
patient,
tenant,
or
3
resident
of
a
hospital,
assisted
living
program,
or
health
4
care
facility
in
the
county
where
the
voter
is
registered
to
5
vote
within
three
days
prior
to
the
date
of
any
election
or
on
6
election
day
may
request
an
absentee
ballot
during
that
period
7
or
on
election
day.
As
an
alternative
to
the
application
8
procedure
prescribed
by
section
53.2
,
the
The
registered
9
voter
may
make
the
request
directly
to
the
officers
who
are
10
delivering
and
returning
absentee
ballots
under
this
section
.
11
Alternatively,
the
request
may
be
made
by
telephone
to
the
12
office
of
the
commissioner
not
later
than
four
hours
before
13
the
close
of
the
polls.
If
the
requester
is
found
to
be
a
14
registered
voter
of
that
county,
these
officers
shall
deliver
15
the
appropriate
absentee
ballot
to
the
registered
voter
in
the
16
manner
prescribed
by
this
section
.
17
4.
For
any
election
except
a
primary
or
general
election
18
or
a
special
election
to
fill
a
vacancy
under
section
69.14
,
19
the
commissioner
may,
as
an
alternative
to
subsection
2
,
mail
20
an
absentee
ballot
to
an
applicant
a
registered
voter
under
21
this
section
to
be
voted
and
returned
to
the
commissioner
in
22
accordance
with
this
chapter
.
This
subsection
only
applies
23
to
applications
for
absentee
ballots
from
for
a
single
health
24
care
facility,
assisted
living
program,
or
hospital
if
there
25
are
no
more
than
two
applications
from
that
facility,
program,
26
or
hospital.
27
5.
The
commissioner
shall
mail
an
absentee
ballot
to
a
28
registered
voter
who
has
applied
for
an
absentee
ballot
and
29
who
is
a
patient,
tenant,
or
resident
of
a
hospital,
assisted
30
living
program,
or
health
care
facility
outside
the
county
in
31
which
the
voter
is
registered
to
vote.
32
Sec.
18.
Section
53.39,
subsection
1,
Code
2019,
is
amended
33
to
read
as
follows:
34
1.
Section
53.2
does
not
apply
in
the
case
of
a
qualified
35
-11-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
11/
13
S.F.
90
voter
of
the
state
of
Iowa
serving
in
the
armed
forces
of
the
1
United
States.
In
any
such
case
an
application
for
ballot
as
2
provided
for
in
that
section
is
not
required
and
an
An
absent
3
voter’s
ballot
shall
be
sent
or
made
available
to
any
such
4
a
qualified
voter
of
the
state
of
Iowa
serving
in
the
armed
5
forces
of
the
United
States
upon
a
request
as
provided
in
this
6
subchapter
.
7
Sec.
19.
Section
53.45,
subsection
4,
Code
2019,
is
amended
8
to
read
as
follows:
9
4.
Notwithstanding
the
provisions
of
section
53.49
,
10
an
eligible
elector
who
requests
a
special
absentee
ballot
11
under
this
section
may
also
make
application
for
an
absentee
12
ballot
under
section
53.2
or
an
armed
forces
absentee
ballot
13
under
section
53.40
.
If
the
regular
absentee
or
armed
forces
14
absentee
ballot
is
properly
voted
and
returned,
the
special
15
absentee
ballot
is
void
and
the
commissioner
shall
reject
it
in
16
whole
when
special
absentee
ballots
are
canvassed.
17
Sec.
20.
Section
53.49,
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
18
follows:
19
53.49
Applicable
to
armed
forces
and
other
citizens.
20
The
provisions
of
this
subchapter
as
to
absent
voting
shall
21
apply
only
to
absent
voters
in
the
armed
forces
of
the
United
22
States
as
defined
for
the
purpose
of
absentee
voting
in
section
23
53.37
.
The
provisions
of
section
53.1
and
sections
53.1
53.4
24
through
53.34
shall
apply
to
all
other
voters
not
members
of
25
the
armed
forces
of
the
United
States.
26
Sec.
21.
REPEAL.
Sections
53.2
and
53.3,
Code
2019,
are
27
repealed.
28
Sec.
22.
IMPLEMENTATION
OF
ACT.
Section
25B.2,
subsection
29
3,
shall
not
apply
to
this
Act.
30
Sec.
23.
APPLICABILITY.
This
Act
applies
to
all
elections
31
taking
place
on
or
after
July
1,
2020.
32
EXPLANATION
33
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
34
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
35
-12-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
12/
13
S.F.
90
This
bill
relates
to
the
mailing
of
absentee
ballots.
1
The
bill
requires
county
commissioners
of
elections
to
2
automatically
mail
absentee
ballots
to
all
registered
voters.
3
Current
law
requires
registered
voters
to
submit
an
application
4
prior
to
receiving
an
absentee
ballot.
The
bill
also
allows
5
county
commissioners
to
establish
drop
boxes
at
which
voters
6
or
voters’
designees
may
deposit
absentee
ballots.
The
bill
7
requires
the
state
commissioner
of
elections
to
adopt
rules
8
regarding
security
measures
for
absentee
ballot
drop
boxes.
9
The
bill
may
include
a
state
mandate
as
defined
in
Code
10
section
25B.3.
The
bill
makes
inapplicable
Code
section
25B.2,
11
subsection
3,
which
would
relieve
a
political
subdivision
from
12
complying
with
a
state
mandate
if
funding
for
the
cost
of
13
the
state
mandate
is
not
provided
or
specified.
Therefore,
14
political
subdivisions
are
required
to
comply
with
any
state
15
mandate
included
in
the
bill.
16
-13-
LSB
1587XS
(3)
88
ss/jh
13/
13
