Republican legislative leaders decide to allow statewide mailing of forms.
Secretary of State Paul Pate will mail an absentee ballot request form to all active registered Iowa voters before the November general election after a panel of Iowa lawmakers granted his request to do so on Friday.
Before Iowa’s June 2 primary, Pate, a Republican, mailed absentee ballot request forms to the state’s roughly 2 million registered voters. His actions were credited with contributing to Iowa’s record turnout in that election, when more than 531,000 Iowans cast ballots in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Nearly 80% of Iowans who voted in the primary did so by mail.
But last month, the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature passed a law preventing him from doing the same thing in November without first getting approval from the Legislative Council.
When the council, a 24-member body of legislative leaders that is controlled by Republicans, met Friday, it voted unanimously to grant Pate’s request.
“I want Iowa voters and poll workers to be safe during this pandemic while we conduct a clean, fair and secure election. After consulting with all 99 county auditors, I believe the best way to accomplish that goal is by mailing an absentee ballot request form to every active registered voter in the state,” Pate said in a statement, noting that in-person voting will still be available.
Before approving the secretary of state’s request, Republicans on the Legislative Council voted down Democratic proposals to extend the early voting period from 29 days to 40 days and to allow county auditors to mail absentee ballot request forms with each voter’s information already filled in.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, said county auditors who send out pre-filled ballot request forms would be undermining the state’s voter ID law. Linn and Johnson counties have announced plans to do so.
Source: Des Moines Register – Read More