Hunter
03/06/24
The Iowa House voted along party lines to impose further voting restrictions Tuesday.
The bill requires mail-in absentee ballots to be in the County Auditor’s office by close of business the day before Election Day, instead of the current law that requires them to be there by the time the polls close on Election Day.
The legislation also bans drop boxes across the state.
Finally, the bill, in a nod to former President Donald Trump’s legal woes, allows federal candidates convicted of felonies to appear on the ballot.
Democrats, who voted unanimously against the legislation, say the bill amounts to voter suppression, making it more difficult for people with disabilities, older and rural voters to cast their ballots.
Representative Amy Neilsen of North Liberty said it also makes it harder for Iowans who must work two jobs to make ends meet, work different shifts, and those who don’t have child care on Election Day to vote.
Bill floor manager Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton said the bill ensures that Iowa’s elections remain the most secure in the country, and dismissed claims of voter suppression as “a myth.” He called the use of drop boxes “a product of COVID” and no longer necessary.
The bill does allow county auditors to begin mailing absentee ballots 22 days before Election Day instead of the current 20, but holds the in-person early voting period to 20 days.
The state has been passing legislation making it more difficult to cast a ballot since Republicans took control of the House and Senate. They include reducing the window for early voting, allowing only one drop box per county, and no longer allowing absentee ballots to be counted if they’re received after Election Day.
Except for the felony candidate provision which takes effect immediately, the legislation would take effect in 2025.