Iowa Governor Signs GOP Voter Changes Into Law

By Nikki Slusher

In the first of what is expected to be many across the country, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed into law a Republican backed bill that will make it more difficult for early voting efforts. The bill ultimately is expected to impact and potentially erode key aspects for Democratic candidates and voters during elections.

Iowa Republicans told their opposition – the entire Democratic members of the Iowa legislature – that the rules are needed in order to guard the integrity of elections; however, the Iowa GOP did not there was no history of election irregularities and that the November election saw record voter turnout with no problems identified in the state. Gov. Reynolds emphasized this point stating that election integrity “must be preserved.” Notably, the new law provides a step-by-step guideline for election officials to follow for Election Day, as well as absentee voting and data maintenance.

The bill changes the early voting period from 29 to 20 days, only three years after Iowa Republicans shortened the period from 40 to 29 days. Mail-in ballots will also be required to be received by Election Day to be counted instead of being postmarked by noon on Election Day. Voting sites will also close at 8 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. “All of these additional steps promote more transparency and accountability, giving Iowans even greater confidence to cast their ballot,” the Governor said in her statement after signing the bill.

Meanwhile, Democrats have begun analyzing their dependence on early voting methods to determine how they will move forward for the next election cycle. In the November election, almost 70 percent of Democrats voted early. “We don’t have to wait to get people registered to vote. We don’t have to wait to have Democrats talking with their neighbors in rural and metropolitan areas in the state about how these harmful pieces of legislation are being forced through,” said Iowa’s Democratic Party Chairman Ross Wilburn.

Mr. Wilburn said he is working with the DNC on various strategies to combat the wave of new election laws. Republicans nationwide have pushed these laws after former President Donald Trump blamed early voting for his loss to President Joe Biden. Of course, the problem must be the people voting not the candidate who failed miserably at handling a pandemic. Go figure.

Although there is no evidence of systematic fraud, GOP lawmakers in 43 states are pushing almost 200 election bills that will limit ballot access per the Brennan Center for Justice.

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