Public Interest Legal Statement on New Iowa Voter ID Law

(ALEXANDRIA, VA.) – May 5, 2017: The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) today praised Iowa Governor Terry Branstad’s signing of a voter identification law.

“We welcome Iowa to the growing collection of states enacting necessary reforms to prevent against voter fraud and boost confidence in our elections,” PILF President and General Counsel J. Christian Adams said. “This law is a step toward modernizing elections with policies and infrastructure designed to protect voters from error and fraud alike.”

Summary of HF 516 Reforms

  • Provides submission guidelines for third-party voter registration organizers.
  • Requires photo ID to vote at the polls beginning in 2019. Free IDs are provided for.
  • Details use of electronic poll books to be used for verifying felon status.
  • Sets requirements for post-election audits.
  • Sets requirements for referral of illegal votes to appropriate local law enforcement.
  • Adjusts the absentee voting period to 29 days before an election.

PILF previously shared support for Secretary of State Paul Pate’s initial framework for the bill in January 2017.

Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) is a 501(c)(3) public interest law firm dedicated to election integrity. The Foundation exists to assist states and others to aid the cause of election integrity and fight against lawlessness in American elections. Drawing on numerous experts in the field, PILF seeks to protect the right to vote and preserve the Constitutional framework of American elections.

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Public Interest Legal Foundation