Absentee Count by Precinct Bill Amended

Absentee Count by Precinct Bill Amended

A bill that would count Iowa's absentee ballots by precinct, rather than across whole counties, has been amended and reintroduced in the Iowa House.

The new version of the bill, House File 2367, specifies that it would apply only to partisan primary and general elections, and would exclude precincts with fewer than ten absentee voters in order to protect ballot secrecy. It passed the House State Government Committee last week.

Rep. Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, is HF2367's chief sponsor and says he intoduced the bill at the behest of constituents. "From our discussions with the Secretary of State and my Auditor, it doesn't appear to be overly cumbersome," said Paulsen. "However, it may not take effect prior to the November 2008 election."