Bills › 91st General Assembly

HF 819Died when the session ended · March 6, 2025

Relating to an absentee ballot marking pilot program for voters with disabilities

Sponsored by Rep. Heather Matson (D), Rep. David E. Young (R), Rep. Adam Zabner (D)

Topics:Elections & votingFamilies & human services

Where it is now

  1. Done: IntroducedMarch 6, 2025
  2. Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
  3. Next: House committeeFunnel: by February 20, 2026
  4. Next: Passes the House
  5. Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
  6. Next: Passes the Senate
  7. Next: To the Governor
  8. Next: Signed into law

Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary Iowa could start a test program to help voters with disabilities mark their absentee ballots privately using special technology. This program would allow these voters to request their ballots through the mail. If the program is not used in every county, it will be tested in enough locations to see if it works for the whole state.1

Read the official explanation

This bill allows the state commissioner of elections to adopt rules to establish a pilot program to allow voters with disabilities that prevent such voters from marking ballots by hand to independently and privately mark absentee ballots, including by the use of assistive technology. The bill requires that the program include a method by which such voters can request an absentee ballot by mail. If the pilot program under the bill is not established statewide, the bill requires that the program be established in a sufficient number of counties to allow the state commissioner of elections to determine whether the program is feasible statewide. The bill requires the state commissioner of elections to file a report with the general assembly by December of each year regarding the pilot program established under the bill. The pilot program is repealed July 1, 2028.

Full bill text2

Iowa Code it changes

Creates§53.5

How the Code works3

Lobbying

2 for · 0 against · 0 undecided · Who →

Family tree

91st General Assembly

Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.

Tried before

This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.

  • HSB 591 HSB 591
    90th General Assembly · Approved by committee · very similar
    Cleared committee

Similar bills this General Assembly

  • HF 2118 Relating to an absentee ballot marking pilot program for voters with disabilities
    91st General Assembly · Subcommittee recommends passage
    Nearly identical
  • SSB 3047 Relating to an absentee ballot marking pilot program for voters with disabilities
    91st General Assembly · In committee
    Nearly identical

Matched by wording or an identical title.