Iowa GOP advances bills to shorten early voting, restrict absentee ballots

Republicans in Iowa are advancing bills that would shorten early voting and restrict absentee ballots.

Committees in the Iowa state House and Senate approved House File 590 and Senate File 413 on Thursday after they were introduced earlier this week, the Des Moines Register reported.

Under the proposals, Iowa’s early voting period would be reduced from 29 days to 18 days and county auditors would not be allowed to send absentee ballot request forms to voters. Voters would still be allowed to request ballots from auditors.

The secretary of state would also be allowed to send ballot request forms to voters during a public health disaster, and with the approval of the legislature or Legislative Council, the Register noted.

Additionally, auditors would not be allowed to set up satellite early-voting sites unless petitioned to do so by voters. The legislation imposes criminal penalties for auditors who do not follow state rules.

“Setting absentee voting at 18 days will limit voter remorse, the length of time campaigning in this state and allow more time for informed voting,” state Sen. Roby Smith (R) said, according to the Register.

Democrats bemoaned the proposals, with state Sen. Pam Jochum (D) saying, “It appears to me that we are almost attempting to squeeze early voting out of existence.”

The bills could receive floor votes as early as next week, the Register reported.

The proposals come as Republicans across the country seek to limit early voting and absentee voting after former President Trump lost reelection to President Biden.

Trump and many of his GOP allies spent the months after the election making unsubstantiated claims that the former president lost due to widespread voter fraud.

Thirty-three states have introduced, pre-filed or carried over 165 bills this year to restrict voting access, according to the left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice.

For example, GOP legislators in Georgia, where Biden narrowly won, are pushing a series of bills that advocates warn could make voting more difficult.