Defining infamous crime as election misconduct in the first degree that is vote fraud for the purposes of disqualifying a person from registering to vote and voting and from being a candidate for certain elective offices and limiting such disqualifications to the term of the sentence

Article II, section 5, of the Constitution of the State of Iowa denies the privilege of an elector to any person convicted of an infamous crime. State statute defines infamous crime as a felony conviction under state or federal law. State law also allows a person who has been discharged from parole, probation, or work release, or who has been released from incarceration upon completion of sentence, to apply to the governor for restoration of the rights of citizenship, which include the rights to register to vote and to vote. State statute also requires that a candidate for elective office under the laws of the state must be an eligible elector at the time of election. By operation of law, this excludes persons who have been convicted of a state or federal felony and not had their rights of citizenship restored by the governor or the president of the United States.2. The bill also limits the disqualification from holding the privilege of an elector due to conviction of an infamous crime to the period of the convicted person’s sentence. A convicted person’s right to vote and hold office is restored automatically upon the discharge of that person’s sentence, including any period of probation or parole, but not including the payment of fines, fees, or restitution. The bill removes references to conviction of a felony under federal law.