49.21 Polling places — accessibility — signs.
1. a. It is the responsibility of the commissioner to designate a polling place for each precinct in the county. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, for city and school elections the commissioner shall, whenever practicable, designate polling places so that an eligible elector will be assigned to vote at the same polling place at which the eligible elector would be assigned to vote at the general election. However, if a city does not have a polling place designated for the general election precinct, the commissioner may designate an additional polling place for the precinct in that city.
b. Each polling place designated shall be accessible to persons with disabilities. However, if the commissioner is unable to provide an accessible polling place for a precinct, the commissioner shall apply for a temporary waiver of the accessibility requirement. The state commissioner shall adopt rules in accordance with chapter 17A prescribing standards for determining whether a polling place is accessible and the process for applying for a temporary waiver of accessibility.
2. a. Upon the application of the commissioner, the authority which has control of any buildings or grounds supported by taxation under the laws of this state shall make available the necessary space therein for the purpose of holding elections, without charge for the use thereof.
b. Except as otherwise provided by law, the polling place in each precinct in the state shall be located in a central location if a building is available. However, first consideration shall be given to the use of public buildings supported by taxation.
3. a. On the day of an election, the commissioner shall post a sign stating “vote here” at the entrance to each driveway leading to the building where a polling place is located. The sign must be visible from the street or highway fronting the driveway, but shall not encroach upon the right-of-way of such street or highway.
b. The commissioner shall post a sign at the entrance to the polling place indicating the election precinct number or name, and displaying a street map showing the boundaries of the precinct.
4. The commissioner shall remove or obscure from the view of voters any published material displaying the name of a candidate or elected official other than a ballot or sample ballot or envelope.
[C51, §222, 245; R60, §444, 480; C73, §391, 603; C97, §566, 1113, 2755; S13, §2755; C24, 27, §739, 4205; C31, 35, §739, 4216-c7; C39, §739, 4216.07; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §49.21, 277.7; C75, 77, 79, 81, S81, §49.21; 81 Acts, ch 34, §26]
96 Acts, ch 1129, §15; 2000 Acts, ch 1039, §1; 2002 Acts, ch 1134, §30, 115; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §92; 2017 Acts, ch 155, §18, 44; 2019 Acts, ch 148, §40
Referred to in §49.9, 49.11, 49.128