The bill amends various sections of the Iowa Code to update election procedures and enhance election security. It removes the requirement for a voter's four-digit personal identification number in requests for absentee ballot eligibility certification and establishes restrictions on holding special elections on certain Tuesdays surrounding primary and general elections. Additionally, it clarifies that candidates for federal office are not subject to disqualification statements related to felony convictions and mandates the creation of separate affidavits for these candidates. The bill also allows the state commissioner of elections to adopt minimum security protocols for county commissioners and their vendors, introduces electronic election registers and poll books, extends the preservation period for ballots to twenty-two months, and explicitly prohibits ranked choice voting or instant runoff voting in Iowa elections.

Furthermore, House File 954 enhances the voter registration system by requiring a centralized, interactive computerized statewide voter registration file and mandates the verification of voter eligibility through cross-referencing with other state databases. It introduces new categories for voter registration status, including "unconfirmed" for self-reported noncitizens, and specifies that ballots not cured by a designated deadline will be rejected. The bill also revises the investigation protocol for election misconduct, designating county sheriffs or law enforcement agencies as primary investigators instead of the attorney general, while ensuring that investigation-related information remains confidential. The effective date for these changes is set for January 1, 2026, with certain provisions applying retroactively to elections held after January 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43.18, 43.24, 44.3, 44.6, 54.5, 49.93, 49.88, 49.90, 49.89, 347.9, 43.2, 43.63, 50.36, 68B.2, 44.4, 69.14, 44.9, 43.67, 45.3, 47.7, 48A.10A, 48A.30, 48A.37, 48A.28, 49.80, 50.22, 49.78, 22.7
Reprinted: 9E.6, 39.2, 43.18, 43.67, 44.3, 45.3, 47.1, 48A.26A, 48A.37, 50.12, 50.48, 53.2, 53.10, 53.23, 54.5, 384.19, 49.93, 49.88, 49.90, 49.89, 43.2, 43.63, 50.36, 68B.2, 44.4, 69.14, 44.9, 47.7, 48A.10A, 48A.30, 48A.28, 49.80, 50.22, 49.78
Enrolled: 9E.6, 39.2, 43.18, 43.67, 44.3, 45.3, 47.1, 48A.26A, 48A.37, 50.12, 50.48, 53.2, 53.10, 53.23, 54.5, 384.19, 49.93, 49.88, 49.90, 49.89, 43.2, 43.63, 50.36, 68B.2, 44.4, 69.14, 44.9, 47.7, 48A.10A, 48A.30, 48A.28, 49.80, 50.22, 49.78