Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the conduct of elections
Sponsored by the Senate State Government Committee
Proposed by the Secretary of State · all agency proposals
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 27, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 27, 2026
- Done: Senate committeeFebruary 11, 2026
- Done: Passes the SenateMarch 3, 202644–0
- Skipped: House committeeSkipped
- Done: Passes the HouseFebruary 25, 202667–25
- Done: To the GovernorMay 2, 2026
- Done: Signed into lawMay 2, 2026
HF 2501 became law → The same legislation passed as HF 2501, so this version was set aside. Go to HF 2501 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to the conduct of elections. DIVISION I —— ELECTION MISCONDUCT —— INVESTIGATION. The bill defines “election day” for the purposes of election misconduct to include any day on which voting takes place in person, including absentee voting at the offices of a county commissioner of elections or at a satellite absentee voting station. The bill requires a law enforcement agency or other entity of a state or political subdivision of the state that is investigating an election, the actions of election officials, or election misconduct to immediately notify the state commissioner of elections, or the governor if the state commissioner of elections is under investigation.
Read the full explanation
DIVISION II —— CANCELLATION OF VOTER REGISTRATION. The bill requires a voter registration that has been designated as incomplete, pending, or unconfirmed for days to be canceled if the county commissioner of elections has been unable to contact the registrant or the registrant has failed to submit sufficient information to complete, verify, or correct the defect in the registration. DIVISION III —— ELECTION RECOUNTS —— PUBLIC MEASURES. The bill changes the minimum threshold for conducting a recount of a public measure that is not voted on by the electors of the entire state and that requires an affirmative vote of at least percent of the votes cast on the measure to be a difference between passage and defeat of at least percent or votes, whichever is lesser. The bill changes the makeup of a recount board for a public measure to consist of the county commissioner of elections and the commissioner’s staff, which may include persons employed by the commissioner to tally ballots, instead of a designee of the petitioner requesting the recount, a designee selected by the commissioner, and a third person chosen jointly by the other designees. DIVISION IV —— ELECTION SECURITY. The bill updates references to the United States election assistance commission and the federal Help America Vote Act. The bill requires all election equipment, including election equipment that is not currently in use, to be secured with a tamper-evident seal at all times. DIVISION V —— SPECIAL PRECINCT ELECTION BOARD. on election day for general and statewide special elections. on election day for all elections. DIVISION VI —— LOCAL ELECTION FILINGS. The bill requires all filings for city and school elections to be made with the county commissioner of elections and removes the authority of a county commissioner of elections to designate a city clerk to accept election filings. The bill also requires objections to petitions in city elections to be heard by the county auditor, county treasurer, and county attorney.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Changed since by amendments H-8131, S-5053, S-5051, H-8029; see Amendments. Full bill text · What changed before it passed
Senate subcommittee
Named January 27, 2026 (as SSB 3078). On February 5, 2026 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
1 written public comment to its subcommittee: February 5, 2026 (1) · on the Legislature’s site
Iowa Code it changes
Amends§275.25§277.4§277.5§279.6§362.4§376.10§376.11§376.4§39A.1§44.11§44.8§44.9§48A.30§50.49§52.5
Cites§53.23
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
4 for · 0 against · 8 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
Tried before
Study bill
91st General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.
- HF 523 Relating to the conduct of elections90th General Assembly · In committee · same titleCleared committee
Matched by the wording of each bill’s explanation, or an identical title. Companion bills and renumbered versions of this bill aren’t listed; they’re the same bill.