Title II, ELECTIONS AND OFFICIAL DUTIES (Ch. 39 - 79)

The commissioner and state commissioner of elections shall not distribute or authorize the distribution of sample ballots to voters other than as provided in sections 43.30 , 49.53 , and 52.29 . 2019 Acts, ch 148, §41 ; 2020 Acts, ch 1063, §32

1. As used in this section : a. “The convenience of the voters” refers to but is not necessarily limited to the use of precinct boundaries which can be readily described to and identified by voters and for which there is ease of access by voters to their respective precinct polli…

Ballots on such public measures shall be endorsed and given to each voter by the precinct election officials, as in case of ballots generally, and shall be subject to all other laws governing ballots for candidates, so far as the same shall be applicable. [S13, §1106; C24, 27, 31…

The commissioner shall have charge of the printing of the ballots to be used for any election held in the county. [C97, §1107; S13, §1106, 2754; SS15, §1107; C24, 27, §767, 769, 771, 4203; C31, 35, §767, 769, 771, 4216-c8; C39, § 767, 769, 771, 4216.08; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 7…

1. The commissioner shall not less than four nor more than twenty days before the day of each election, except those for which different publication requirements are prescribed by law, publish notice of the election. The notice shall list the names of all candidates or nominees a…

The cost of the publication required by section 49.53 , shall not exceed an amount determined by the director of the department of administrative services or the director’s designee. [C73, §3832; C97, §1112, 1293; S13, §1293; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 772, 796; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, …

In all cases the necessary election supplies, including paper ballots for precincts where they are to be used, shall be furnished the precinct election officials not less than one hour before the opening of the polls on the morning of the election. [C97, §1107; SS15, §1107; C24, …

The cost of printing the official election ballots and printed supplies shall not exceed the usual and customary rates that the printer charges its regular customers. [SS15, §1107; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 774; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §49.56 ] 88 Acts, ch 1…

Ballots shall be prepared as follows: 1. They shall be on paper uniform in color, through which the printing or writing cannot be read. 2. After the name of each candidate for a partisan office the name of the candidate’s political party shall be printed in at least six point typ…

The state commissioner shall adopt rules in accordance with chapter 17A to implement sections 49.30 through 49.41 , section 49.57 , and any other provision of the law prescribing the form of the official ballot. 2009 Acts, ch 57, §32

1. If any candidate nominated by a political party, as defined in section 43.2 , for the office of senator or representative in the Congress of the United States, governor, attorney general, or senator or representative in the general assembly dies during the period beginning on …

Election precincts composed partially of unincorporated territory and partially of all or any part of a city may be established within a single county in any manner which is not contrary to section 49.3 . An agreement mutually satisfactory to the board of supervisors or the tempo…

Ballots shall be printed and in the possession of the commissioner in time to enable the commissioner to furnish ballots to absent voters as provided by sections 53.8 , 53.10 , and 53.11 . The printed ballots shall be subject to the inspection of candidates and their agents. If m…

The commissioner shall cause ballots of the kind to be voted in each precinct to be delivered to the precinct election officials as follows: 1. In general elections which are presidential elections, at least fifty-five ballots for every fifty votes, or fraction of fifty votes, ca…

The required number of ballots for each precinct shall be wrapped and sealed, and each package shall be clearly marked on the outside to indicate the number of ballots contained in the package and the name or number of the precinct and the location of the polling place for which …

The commissioner shall provide and retain at the commissioner’s office an ample supply of ballots, in addition to those distributed to the several voting precincts. If at any time the ballots furnished to any precinct shall be lost, destroyed, or if the chairperson of the precinc…

1. The number of reserve ballots for each precinct shall be determined by the commissioner. 2. a. If necessary, the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee may make photocopies of official ballots to replace or replenish ballot supplies. The commissioner shall keep a record o…

1. The state commissioner with the approval of the attorney general shall prepare, and from time to time revise, written instructions to the voters relative to the rights of voters, and shall furnish each commissioner with copies of the instructions. Such instructions shall cover…

1. Where reprecincting is necessary, city councils and county boards of supervisors or the temporary county redistricting commission shall make any necessary changes in precincts as soon as possible after the redistricting of congressional and legislative districts becomes law. 2…

The commissioner shall cause copies of instructions addressing the rights of voters and instructions for voting to be printed in large, clear type. The commissioner shall furnish the precinct election officials with a sufficient number of each set of instructions as will enable t…

The precinct election officials, before the opening of the polls, shall cause each set of instructions required pursuant to section 49.70 to be securely posted as follows: 1. At least one copy of the instructions for voting prescribed in section 49.68, subsection 2 , in each voti…

The commissioner shall deliver to each precinct election board not less than one hour before the time at which the polls are to open for any election the list of all registered voters of that precinct who have been given or sent an absentee ballot for that election, and the elect…

1. At all elections, except as otherwise permitted by this section , the polls shall be opened at 7:00 a.m. if at least one official from each of the political parties referred to in section 49.13 is present. On the basis of voter turnout for recent similar elections and factors …

Every voter who is on the premises of the voter’s precinct polling place at the time the polling place is to be closed for any election shall be permitted to vote in that election. Wherever possible, when there are persons on the premises of a polling place awaiting an opportunit…

Before opening the polls, each of the board members shall take the following oath: I, A. B., do solemnly swear or affirm that I will impartially, and to the best of my knowledge and ability, perform the duties of precinct election official of this election, and will studiously en…

Any one of the precinct election officials present may administer the oath to the others, and it shall be entered in the election records, subscribed by the person taking it, and certified by the officer administering it. [C51, §250; R60, §485; C73, §610; C97, §1095; SS15, §1087-…

1. The board members of their respective precincts shall have charge of the ballots and shall furnish them to the voters after verifying each voter’s identity pursuant to section 49.78 . a. Any person desiring to vote shall sign a voter’s declaration provided by the officials, in…

1. To ensure the integrity of, and to instill public confidence in, all elections in this state the general assembly finds that the verification of a voter’s identity is necessary before a voter is permitted to receive and cast a ballot. 2. a. Before a precinct election official …

1. Any person offering to vote may be challenged as unqualified by any precinct election official or registered voter. It is the duty of each official to challenge any person offering to vote whom the official knows or suspects is not duly qualified. A ballot shall be received fr…

After any required changes in precinct boundaries have been made following each federal decennial census, at the time established by or pursuant to section 49.7 , the county board or city council shall make no further changes in precinct boundaries until after the next federal de…

1. When the status of any person as a registered voter is so challenged, the precinct election officials shall explain to the person the qualifications of an elector, and may examine the person under oath touching the person’s qualifications as a voter. 2. a. In case of any chall…

1. A prospective voter who is prohibited under section 48A.8, subsection 4 , section 49.77, subsection 3 , section 49.80 , or section 53.19, subsection 3 , from voting except under this section shall be notified by the appropriate precinct election official that the voter may cas…

When an empty voting booth is available, one of the precinct election officials shall endorse the official’s initials on each ballot the voter will receive. The initials shall be placed so that they may be seen when the ballot is properly folded or enclosed in a secrecy folder. T…

The name of each voter shall be marked on the election register by a precinct election official when the voter’s declaration of eligibility has been approved by the officials. [C51, §260; R60, §495; C73, §621; C97, §1116; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 800; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 7…

1. a. After receiving the ballot, the voter shall immediately go to the next available voting booth and without delay mark the ballot. All voters shall vote in booths. b. Before leaving the voting booth, the voter may enclose the ballot in a secrecy folder to conceal the marks on…

One of the precinct election officials shall at once, after receiving the ballot, in the presence of the voter, deposit it in the ballot box. [C51, §257; R60, §492; C73, §617; C97, §1117; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 802; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §49.85 ] Referr…

Any voter who, after receiving an official ballot, decides not to vote, shall, before entering the voting booth, surrender to the election officers the official ballot which has been given to the voter, and such fact shall be noted on the election records. A refusal to surrender …

No voter shall vote or offer to vote any ballot except such as the voter has received from the precinct election officials, nor take or remove any ballot from the polling place before the close of the poll. [C97, §1117; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 804; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73,…

1. No more than one person shall be allowed to occupy any voting booth at any time. The use of photographic devices and the display of voted ballots is prohibited if such use or display is for purposes prohibited under chapter 39A , interferes with other voters, or interferes wit…

At, or before, the opening of the polls, the election board of each precinct shall select two members of the board, of different political parties in the case of any election in which candidates appear on the ballot under the heading of either of the political parties referred to…

Except as provided in section 49.11, subsection 3 , paragraph “b” , and as required by the designation of a commissioner pursuant to section 49.21, subsection 1 , a person shall not vote in any precinct but that of the person’s residence. [C73, §605; C97, §1090; S13, §1090; C24, …

1. Any voter who may declare upon oath that the voter is blind, cannot read the English language, or is, by reason of any physical disability other than intoxication, unable to cast a vote without assistance, shall, upon request, be assisted by the two officers as provided in sec…

The precinct election officials shall mark upon the election register the name of any elector who received such assistance in casting the elector’s vote. [C97, §1118; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 808; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §49.91 ] Referred to in §52.26

The instructions appearing on the ballot shall describe the appropriate mark to be used by the voter. The mark shall be consistent with the requirements of the voting system in use in the precinct. The voting mark used on paper ballots may be a cross or check which shall be place…

1. For an office to which one person is to be elected, a voter shall not vote for more than one candidate. If two or more persons are to be elected to an office, the voter shall vote for no more than the number of persons to be elected. If a person votes for more than the permitt…

The ballots shall be counted according to the voters’ marks on them as provided in sections 49.92 and 49.93 , and not otherwise. If, for any reason, it is impossible to determine from a ballot, as marked, the choice of the voter for any office, the vote for that office shall not …