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

1. The registered voter, on receipt of an absentee ballot, shall mark the ballot in such a manner that no other person will know how the ballot is marked. 2. Registered voters who are blind, cannot read, or because of any other physical disability, are unable to mark their own ab…

After marking the ballot, the voter shall make and subscribe to the affidavit on the affidavit envelope or on the return envelope marked with the affidavit, and fold the ballot or ballots, separately, so as to conceal the markings on them, and deposit them in the envelope, and se…

1. If the commissioner mailed the ballot pursuant to section 53.8, subsection 1 , paragraph “a” , subparagraph (1), the sealed envelope bearing the voter’s affidavit and containing the absentee ballot shall be enclosed in a return envelope which shall be securely sealed. If the c…

1. For the purposes of this chapter : a. “Postal service barcode” means a barcode purchased by the sender and supplied by the United States postal service that is used to sort and track letters and flat packages and is printed on an absentee ballot return envelope at the directio…

1. When the return envelope containing the completed absentee ballot is received by the commissioner, the commissioner shall at once record receipt of such ballot. Absentee ballots shall be stored in a secure place until they are delivered to the absentee and special voters preci…

1. The commissioner shall maintain a list of the absentee ballots provided to registered voters, the serial number appearing on the unsealed envelope, the date the application for the absentee ballot was received, the date the absentee ballot was sent to the registered voter requ…

The state commissioner shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A for the implementation of this chapter . 2019 Acts, ch 148, §30, 33 Referred to in §53.49

1. a. Any registered voter, under the circumstances specified in section 53.1 , may on any day, except election day, and not more than seventy days prior to the date of the election, apply in person for an absentee ballot at the commissioner’s office or at any location designated…

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 preci…

1. A voter who has requested an absentee ballot may obtain a replacement ballot if the voter declares that the original ballot was lost or did not arrive. The commissioner upon receipt of a written or oral request for a replacement ballot shall provide a duplicate ballot. The sam…

1. For purposes of this section , “assisted living program” means a program certified pursuant to section 231C.3 that meets the standards for a dementia-specific assisted living program, as established by rule by the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing. 2. a. (1) A …

1. The election board of the absentee ballot and special voters precinct shall be appointed by the commissioner in the manner prescribed by sections 49.12 and 49.13 , except that the number of precinct election officials appointed to the board shall be sufficient to complete the …

1. a. If the absentee voter’s affidavit lacks the voter’s signature, if the applicant is not a duly registered voter on election day in the precinct where the absentee ballot was cast, if the envelope marked with the affidavit contains more than one ballot of any one kind, or if …

1. Every ballot not counted shall be endorsed on the back with the following: Rejected because (giving reason therefor). 2. All rejected ballots shall be enclosed and securely sealed in an envelope on which the precinct election officials shall endorse “Defective ballots”, with a…

If the ballot is rejected, the envelope marked with the affidavit, with the voter’s endorsement thereon, shall be returned with the rejected ballot in the envelope endorsed “Defective ballots”. [C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 953; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §53.27 ]…

1. When an application for an absentee ballot is solicited by, or collected for return to the commissioner by, a person acting as an actual or implied agent for a political party, candidate, or committee, as defined by chapter 68A , the person shall provide the applicant with the…

1. At the conclusion of each meeting of the absentee and special voter precinct board, the board shall reconcile the number of signed affidavits provided to the board by the commissioner and the number of ballots that were counted and tabulated. The board shall record the number …

1. Any person qualified to vote at the election in progress may challenge the qualifications of a person casting an absentee ballot by submitting a written challenge to the commissioner no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the election. It is the duty of the special preci…

When it shall be made to appear by due proof to the precinct election officials that any elector, who has so marked and forwarded a ballot, has died before the envelope marked with the affidavit is opened, then the ballot of such deceased voter shall be endorsed, “Rejected becaus…

1. For the purposes of this section : a. “Delivery agent” means an individual registered to vote in this state who has been designated to return a completed absentee ballot to the commissioner by another registered voter who is unable to return the registered voter’s own absentee…

It is unlawful for any person designated by the commissioner, or by the elector casting the absentee ballot, to deliver the sealed envelope containing the absentee ballot, to willfully fail to return the ballot to the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee. 93 Acts, ch 143, …

1. This subchapter is intended to implement the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act , 42 U.S.C. §1973ff et seq. 2. The term “armed forces of the United States” , as used in this subchapter , shall mean the army, navy, marine corps, coast guard, air force, …

The state commissioner of elections shall provide information regarding voter registration procedures and absentee ballot procedures to be used by members of the armed forces of the United States. The state commissioner shall accept valid voter registration applications and absen…

Whenever a ballot is requested pursuant to section 53.39 or 53.45 on behalf of a voter in the armed forces of the United States, the affidavit upon the envelope marked with the affidavit of such voter, if the voter is found to be an eligible elector of the county to which the bal…

1. Section 53.2 does not apply in the case of a qualified voter of the state of Iowa serving in the armed forces of the United States. In any such case an application for ballot as provided for in that section is not required and an absent voter’s ballot shall be sent or made ava…

1. Beginning on the first day that absentee ballots are mailed in each primary and general election and each special election pursuant to section 69.14 , and through election day, the state commissioner shall publish a report regarding absentee ballots on a daily basis. The repor…

1. a. A request in writing for a ballot may be made by any member of the armed forces of the United States who is or will be a qualified voter on the day of the election at which the ballot is to be cast, at any time before the election. Any member of the armed forces of the Unit…

1. The commissioner of each county shall establish and maintain a record of all requests for ballots which are made, and of all ballots transmitted, and the manner of transmittal, from and received in the commissioner’s office under the provisions of this subchapter . 2. If more …

Notwithstanding the provision as to time found in section 53.10 , any qualified voter in the armed forces of the United States may personally appear in the office of the commissioner of the county of the voter’s residence and there vote an absent voter’s ballot at any time not ea…

The envelopes used in connection with voting by absent voter’s ballot by voters who are members of the armed forces of the United States, shall have stamped or printed on them the words “Armed Forces or Overseas Ballot” and a designation of the election at which the ballot is to …

1. The affidavit on the envelope marked with the affidavit used in connection with voting by absentee ballot under this subchapter by members of the armed forces of the United States need not be notarized or witnessed, but the affidavit on such envelope shall be completed and sig…

1. a. As provided in this section , the commissioner shall provide special absentee ballots to be used for general elections. A special absentee ballot shall only be provided to an eligible elector who completes an application stating both of the following to the best of the elig…

The state commissioner is authorized and empowered: 1. To make rules for the purpose of carrying out the provisions and intent of this subchapter ; 2. To prescribe and direct the preparation of specially printed ballots, envelopes and other papers of different size and weight to …

1. In order to establish uniformity in size, weight, and other characteristics of the ballot and facilitate its distribution and return, the department of administrative services shall upon direction of the state commissioner purchase any material needed for any special ballots, …

In the event the government of the United States or any branch, department, agency or other instrumentality thereof shall make provision for sending of any voting matter provided for in this subchapter through the mails postage free, or otherwise, the election officials of the st…

The provisions of this subchapter as to absent voting shall apply only to absent voters in the armed forces of the United States as defined for the purpose of absentee voting in section 53.37 . The provisions of sections 53.1 through 53.33 shall apply to all other voters not memb…

There is hereby appropriated to the state commissioner from the general fund of the state such sums as are necessary to pay the state commissioner’s expenses and perform the state commissioner’s functions under this subchapter . Warrants shall be drawn by the director of the depa…

This subchapter shall be liberally construed in order to provide means and opportunity for qualified voters of the state of Iowa serving in the armed forces of the United States to vote. [C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §53.51 ] 94 Acts, ch 1180, §29 ; 2014 Acts, ch 1026…

The provision or provisions of this subchapter which are inconsistent with any provision or provisions of any other existing statute or any part of any such other existing statute, shall prevail. Likewise, the provision or provisions of any other existing statute or any part of a…

1. Upon receipt of an official federal write-in ballot, the commissioner shall examine the voter’s written declarations on the envelope. If the voter is eligible to vote under the provisions of this subchapter and has complied with all requirements for the federal write-in ballot…

1. It shall be unlawful for any employee of the state or any employee of a political subdivision to solicit any application or request for application for an absentee ballot, or to take an affidavit in connection with any absentee ballot while the employee is on the employer’s pr…

1. a. Upon receipt of an application for an absentee ballot and immediately after the absentee ballots are printed, but not more than twenty days before the election, the commissioner shall mail an absentee ballot to the applicant within twenty-four hours, except as otherwise pro…

No person required to file reports under chapter 68A , and no person acting as an actual or implied agent for a person required to file reports under chapter 68A , shall receive absentee ballots on behalf of voters. This prohibition does not apply to section 53.17 . 97 Acts, ch 1…