Fiscal Note
Fiscal Services Division
SF 443 – County Supervisor Districts (LSB2177SV.1)
Staff Contact: Anthony Arellano (515.281.6764) anthony.arellano@legis.iowa.gov
Fiscal Note Version – As Amended and Passed by the Senate
Description
Senate File 443 relates to county redistricting plans and makes the following changes:
• Division I requires counties with a population greater than 125,000 to use plan “three” for
election supervisors. Counties with a population of 125,000 or more based on the most
recent federal decennial census that do not use plan “three” for the election of supervisors,
as of the effective date of this Bill, are required to commence plan “three” for the election of
supervisors in the 2024 general election.
• Counties are required to establish a temporary county redistricting commission to adopt a
representation plan no later than 30 days after the effective date of this Bill or May 15, 2023.
The plan is required to be submitted to the Secretary of State’s office no later than
November 1, 2023, and will become effective January 1, 2024.
• Division II requires vacancies on a board of supervisors to be filled by special election.
• Division III makes the Bill effective upon enactment.
Background
Under Iowa Code section 331.206, county redistricting plans are selected by the county board
of supervisors or by special election (Iowa Code section 331.207). The three types of plans are
as follows:
• Plan “one” — Election at large and without district residence requirements for the members.
• Plan “two” — Election at large but with equal-population district residence requirements for
the members.
• Plan “three” — Election from single-member equal-population districts in which the electors
of each district shall elect one member who must reside in that district.
Currently, there are five counties with a population of 125,000 or greater that would be required
to use plan “three.” Of the five counties, three will be changing from plan “one” to plan “three,”
and two already use plan “three.”
Iowa Code section 69.14A allows for the vacancies to be filled by appointment under certain
circumstances.
Assumptions
Division I
• Counties that operate under plan “one” are Scott, Johnson, and Black Hawk. These
counties will experience an estimated cost between $40,000 and $80,000 per county to
conform their district plans to that of plan “three.” The estimated cost will cover training,
additional precincts, conforming ballots, and the mailing of new voter registration cards to all
eligible voters within the county.
• Counties that operate under plan “three” are Polk and Linn. These counties will see no
additional cost.
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Division II
Counties that are required to hold special elections as a result of vacancies for their board of
supervisors may experience an estimated cost per county between $1,000 and $185,000,
depending on the number of registered voters in the county. However, the frequency and
location of these vacancies cannot be estimated.
Fiscal Impact
Division I
For the three counties required to change from plan “one” to plan “three,” the one-time cost per
county is estimated to be between $40,000 and $80,000 for a total one-time cost between
$120,000 and $240,000 for FY 2024.
Division II
Counties who hold special elections for their board of supervisors may make expenditures
between $1,000 and $185,000 per county for each special election held.
Source
Iowa State Association of Counties
/s/ Jennifer Acton
March 10, 2023
Doc ID 1370605
The fiscal note for this Bill was prepared pursuant to Joint Rule 17 and the Iowa Code. Data used in developing this
fiscal note is available from the Fiscal Services Division of the Legislative Services Agency upon request.
www.legis.iowa.gov
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Statutes affected:
Introduced: 331.206, 331.207, 331.209, 331.208, 331.203, 39.17, 69.8
Reprinted: 331.206, 331.207, 39.17, 69.8, 331.214