GOP-backed Iowa bill to restrict voting heads’ access to governor’s office

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The bill, introduced by a Republican senator, would specifically reduce the number of early voting days from 29 days to 20 days. It would also close polling stations an hour earlier on polling day (8 p.m. instead of 9 p.m.).

The bill also places new restrictions on absentee voting, including banning officials from sending nominations without a voter first requesting one and requiring ballots to be received. by the county before the close of polling stations on election day.

The Republican-controlled House passed the measure Wednesday night in a 57-to-37 vote. The vote came a day after the GOP-controlled Iowa Senate, where the bill was presented, also adopted the bill on a party online voting.

Bill is now heading to the office of Reynolds, a Republican.

State House Democrats have criticized the measure, noting that it creates voting barriers that would affect the democratic process.

The bill is part of a larger effort by GOP lawmakers across the country – including the battlefield states of Georgia and Arizona – to reduce access to the vote following the 2020 election The November election saw a record number of early and posted voters, triggering baseless allegations of electoral fraud on the part of then-President Donald Trump and some of his fellow Republicans and ultimately leading to the election. murderous insurrection of January 6.

“The people of Iowa deserve an election they can trust. An election that makes voting easy and hard to cheat. That is exactly what they will get with this legislation,” the president said Thursday. ‘Iowa House, Pat Grassley, in an email to CNN. “Despite the hysteria coming from the left, Iowa will continue to see successful elections with a high turnout and results they can trust.”

But Democrats noted that the legislation was part of the legislative rollback in voting access seen across the country.

“What I don’t see, what I can’t understand, is how it’s possible to look at the facts of this election and say, ‘OK, everything went well, what’s the answer here? Let’s make it harder to vote, “Representative Jennifer Konfrst, the Democratic minority House whip, said, urging her GOP colleagues to vote against the bill on Wednesday. “I am frustrated with this bill. I am wary of this bill. I am angry with this bill.

Across the country, according to an updated analysis from the liberal-leaning Brennan Center for Justice, at least 253 bills have been introduced this year in 43 state legislatures with provisions that would restrict access to the vote – more than six times the number of bills for the same time last year.

Minority Leader House Representative Todd Prichard said he believed the bill was based on bogus voter fraud arguments that continue to cast doubt on the 2020 election.

“This untruth should not be a basis for lowering the volume of the voice of the people in this great state of Iowa in the United States of America. Let this voice be heard, embrace democracy,” said Prichard.

The director of the bill, Representative Bobby Kaufmann, has repeatedly pushed back the Democrats, saying they were making “false characterizations of this bill”.

“This bill has nothing to do with fraud,” the Republican said on the floor before the vote. “This bill does not take away a single vote.”

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