48A.27 - CHANGES TO VOTER REGISTRATION RECORDS.
48A.27 CHANGES TO VOTER REGISTRATION RECORDS.
1. Any voter registration form received by any voter registration
agency, driver's license station, including county treasurer's
offices participating in county issuance of driver's licenses under
chapter 321M, or the commissioner shall be considered as updating the
registrant's previous registration.
2. a. A person who is registered to vote may request changes
in the voter's registration record at any time by submitting one of
the following, as applicable:
(1) A written notice to the county commissioner.
(2) A completed Iowa or federal mail registration form to the
county commissioner.
(3) On election day, a registration form to the precinct election
officials at the precinct of the voter's current residence.
(4) A change of address form to the office of driver services of
the state department of transportation, or to a county treasurer's
office that is participating in county issuance of driver's licenses
under chapter 321M.
(5) A change of address notice for voter registration submitted
to any voter registration agency.
b. If a registered voter submits a change of name, telephone
number, or address under this subsection, the commissioner shall not
change the political party or nonparty political organization
affiliation in the registered voter's prior registration unless
otherwise indicated by the registered voter.
3. The commissioner shall make the necessary changes in the
registration records without any action by the registrant when any of
the following events occur:
a. Annexation of territory by a city. When an existing city
annexes territory, the city clerk shall furnish the commissioner a
detailed map of the annexed territory. If a city is divided into
wards for voting purposes, the detailed map shall show the ward
designations for the annexed territory. The commissioner shall
change the registration of persons residing in that territory to
reflect the annexation and the city precinct to which each of those
persons is assigned. If the commissioner cannot determine the names
and addresses of the persons affected by the annexation, the
commissioner shall send each person who may be involved a letter
informing the person that the person's registration may be in error,
and requesting that each person provide the commissioner with the
information necessary to correct the registration records.
b. Change of official street name or house or building number
by a city or county. When the city or county changes the name of a
street or the number of a house or other building in which a person
resides, the city clerk or county board of supervisors shall inform
the commissioner of the change, and the commissioner shall change the
registration of each person affected.
c. Incorporation or discontinuance of a city. When a new
city is incorporated or an existing city is discontinued, the city
clerk shall notify the commissioner. The commissioner shall change
the registration of each person affected.
d. Change of rural route designation of the residence of the
registered voter. The commissioner shall request each postmaster in
the county to inform the commissioner of each change in rural route
designation and the names of the persons affected, and the
commissioner shall change the registration of each person as
appropriate.
4. a. A commissioner, either independently or in cooperation
with the state registrar of voters, and in accordance with rules of
the state voter registration commission, may enter into an agreement
with a licensed vendor of the United States postal service
participating in the national change of address program to identify
registered voters of the county who may have moved either within or
outside the county.
b. If the information provided by the vendor indicates that a
registered voter has moved to another address within the county, the
commissioner shall change the registration records to show the new
residence address, and shall also mail a notice of that action to the
new address. The notice shall be sent by forwardable mail, and shall
include a postage prepaid preaddressed return form by which the
registered voter may verify or correct the address information.
c. If the information provided by the vendor indicates that a
registered voter has moved to an address outside the county, the
commissioner shall make the registration record inactive, and shall
mail a notice to the registered voter at the new address.
(1) The notice shall be sent by forwardable mail, and shall
include a postage paid preaddressed return card on which the
registered voter may state the registered voter's current address.
(2) The notice shall contain a statement in substantially the
following form:
"Information received from the United States postal service
indicates that you are no longer a resident of, and therefore not
eligible to vote in (name of county) County, Iowa. If this
information is not correct, and you still live in (name of county)
County, please complete and mail the attached postage paid card at
least ten days before the primary or general election and at least
eleven days before any other election at which you wish to vote. If
the information is correct and you have moved, please contact a local
official in your new area for assistance in registering there. If
you do not mail in the card, you may be required to show
identification before being allowed to vote in (name of county)
County. If you do not return the card, and you do not vote in an
election in (name of county) County, Iowa, on or before (date of
second general election following the date of the notice) your name
will be removed from the list of voters in that county."
d. If the information provided by the vendor indicates the
registered voter has moved to another county within the state, the
notice required by paragraph "c" shall include a statement that
registration in the county of the person's current residence is
required.
e. If a registered voter returns a card sent pursuant to this
subsection and confirms that the registered voter has moved to a new
residence outside the county, the commissioner shall cancel the
registration of the voter.
f. If a registered voter returns a card sent pursuant to this
subsection and states that the registered voter's residence address
has not changed for the purpose of voter registration, the
commissioner shall reinstate the record to active status, making any
other changes directed by the registrant in the notice.
5. The commissioner shall keep a record of the names and
addresses of the registered voters to whom notices under this section
are sent and the date of the notice. When the return card from a
notice is received by the commissioner, the commissioner shall record
the date it was received and whether the registrant had moved within
the county, moved to an address outside the county, or had not
changed residence. Section History: Recent Form
94 Acts, ch 1169, §28; 97 Acts, ch 170, § 16--18; 98 Acts, ch
1073, § 12; 98 Acts, ch 1143, § 16, 17, 26; 2002 Acts, ch 1134, §23,
24, 115; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §147; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §80; 2009
Acts, ch 41, §24; 2009 Acts, ch 57, §18, 97
Referred to in § 48A.28, 49.79 Footnotes
2009 amendments to subsection 4, paragraphs b and c, take effect
April 10, 2009, and apply to notices mailed on or after that date;
2009 Acts, ch 57, §97