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 signed, written notice to the county commissioner in person, by mail, or by electronic submission.
(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.
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; 2010 Acts, ch 1033, §14; 2017 Acts, ch 120, §2
Referred to in §48A.28, 49.79