HF2501: Election Law Reform

The bill makes comprehensive changes to Iowa's election laws. It amends notification requirements for election investigations, procedures for voter registration cancellation, recount processes for public measures, absentee ballot tracking, and deadlines for candidate filings. It centralizes several election processes under the county commissioner of elections, tightens election security, updates handling of absentee ballots and recounts, alters identification procedures at polling places, and revises several county financial and record-keeping responsibilities. Effective July 1, 2026.

Key Points & Impacts

• Defines 'election day' to include all days of in-person voting, clarifying all election-related laws apply to early in-person voting at satellite centers and county election office.

• Requires immediate Secretary of State (SOS) notification for any local or state investigation into elections or election officials, and governor notification if the SOS is investigated.

• Allows cancellation of voter registration if marked incomplete, pending, or unconfirmed for 90 days without registrant response or correction.

• Substantially changes recount boards for public measures, consolidating recount responsibilities under the county commissioner and staff, and modifies recount petition thresholds for public measures requiring a 60% affirmative vote.

• Centralizes local and school election filings, objections, and contest processes with the county commissioner of elections instead of city clerks or school board secretaries, standardizing deadlines and procedures.

• Removes the ability for voters to establish identity by attestation from another voter (i.e., eliminates subsections 4 and 5 of Section 49.78), tightening voter ID requirements.

• Requires all election equipment (even equipment not currently used) to be secured with a tamper-evident seal.

• Outlines transition process for changing terms of Broadlawns hospital trustees (Polk County).