Iowa House Bill HF65

Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/18/23
• Refer: 1/18/23

Caption

A bill for an act relating to the casting of provisional ballots by persons registering to vote on election day or when casting an in-person absentee ballot.

Impact

The implementation of HF65 would specifically impact current practices for same-day voter registration. Under existing law, eligible voters could cast their regular ballots if their registration could be verified instantaneously via electronic means at the polling location. With the new requirement for provisional ballots, the bill seeks to ensure that all registrations are adequately verified prior to counting votes, which may change the experience for voters who are utilizing same-day registration, leading to potential delays in vote counting.

Summary

House File 65 (HF65) is a legislative proposal aimed at modifying the process by which individuals register to vote on election day or when casting in-person absentee ballots. The bill stipulates that any person registering in this manner will be required to cast a provisional ballot instead of a regular ballot. The measure emphasizes the need for verification of the voter's eligibility through a database maintained by the state commissioner that checks for felony convictions and the restoration of voting rights.

Contention

There are likely to be points of contention surrounding HF65, particularly among advocates for voting accessibility and those supporting stricter voting regulations. Supporters of the bill may argue that it introduces necessary measures to prevent fraudulent voting by ensuring thorough verification of voter eligibility. Conversely, opponents might express concerns that the bill could disproportionately affect certain groups, especially marginalized populations who may face obstacles in producing the documentation needed to verify their voting rights on election day.