Iowa Senate passes limits on secretary of state's power on absentee voting (Thugs trying to rig Nov)

[Celerity]

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2020/06/10/senate-passes-limits-on-secretary-of-states-power-on-absentee-voting/

The Iowa Legislature on Wednesday moved a step closer to limiting the secretary of state’s ability to send out absentee ballots in an emergency, a move that led to record voting in the June 2 primary. The Iowa Senate, on a party-line vote, sent the heavily amended House File 2486 back to the House.

The House started with a short bill governing the use of county seals, and got back a 30-page amendment that sets rules for voter identification. The amended bill would allow the secretary of state to declare an emergency only within 21 days of an election. Pate declared an emergency due to the pandemic and sent every registered voter an application for an absentee ballot before the primary.

The record primary turnout of more than 500,000 included 80% who voted by absentee ballot. The Senate version also would prevent the secretary of state from reducing the number of polling sites in a county by more than 35%. Democrats called the move an effort to suppress voting. Republicans said the bill would increase voting, ensure security and prevent fraud.

Sen. Roby Smith, R-Davenport, took both his Democratic colleagues and reporters to task for what he considered a mischaracterization of the bill as an attempt to suppress voting. “This will expand absentee voting, more will count and the votes will be secure,” Smith said. “If we don’t pass this, one person can come in and declare whatever he or she wants. What you like today, you might not like later,” Smith told senators. Sen. Julian Garrett, R-Indianola, said as he listened to the “doom and gloom” from Democrats during the debate, he recalled similar complaints against previous voter identification legislation. But vote totals grew after those previous changes, including in Polk, Linn and Johnson counties, three of the state’s largest.

Democrats opposed the bill. A mask- and shield-wearing Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, said he would go door-to-door encourage people to vote if the bill passes, risking coronavirus exposure. “You keep creating barriers to voting and we shall overcome,” Hogg said, raising his voice and forcefully moving his microphone away.

snip


After record primary turnout, Iowa senate Republicans try to limit vote-by-mail in presidential election

https://fortune.com/2020/06/09/vote-by-mail-iowa-senate-bill-presidential-election-trump-biden/

Iowa set a new record for primary election turnout this month after secretary of state Paul Pate sent applications for mail-in ballots to all registered voters. More than 520,000 ballots were cast, according to Pate’s office, beating the previous record of 450,000 set in 1994. Now, Republicans in the state senate are trying to prevent him from doing the same in the general election this November.

The Iowa Senate State Government Committee advanced a 30-page bill on a party-line vote late last week that would prohibit Pate, also a Republican, from proactively sending applications for mail-in-ballots to all registered voters. Anyone who wanted a mail-in ballot would need to submit a written request on their own and show proof of valid voter identification.

The bill would prohibit the secretary from taking emergency election action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The secretary can make changes in cases of extreme weather or during wartime, it says, but not during a health crisis. It also prevents Pate from making any changes to the early or absentee voting process, even in an emergency. In addition, the bill would require election offices to send reminder notices to any voter who misses one general election and would require his or her status to be updated to “inactive” before the notices are sent. Current law says that notices should sent after four years of no voting, with no change in status unless the post office returns the notice as undeliverable.

According to Johnson County elections worker John Deeth, this could affect the status of hundreds of thousands of voters who only participate in presidential elections, rendering them “inactive,” which is the first step toward canceling a voter’s registration.

snip

[bullwinkle428]

1. The POS state senator that authored this represents the district I live in. I plan to call

his office, and let his staff know I'm prepared to wear out the soles of more than one pair of shoes knocking on doors for his opponent in November.

[econron]

2. What's His Occupation

I'm curious what small business he owns and if there are any repercussions in the QCA?

How does this help Iowan's? If they can't win they cheat...

[bullwinkle428]

4. He's awfully shady about this "small business" he supposedly owns, which tells me it's

something he's not particularly proud of.

[Frustratedlady]

3. I've voted absentee for years. They'd better not cut me off.

We desperately need to turn the statehouse blue.

[Celerity]

6. The worst states so far for Rethug suppression are looking like GA (insanely corrupt) IA, WI, NC, FL

PA, OH, AZ, and TX. This is for POTUS swing states (even TX)
bad news is
we loss all
and it yields this



good news is

THIS is what I actually see the map looking like atm (and this is worst case scenario for us, FL would be the next big flip)



best case scenario (realistic)

[Frustratedlady]

7. Well, I hope that the Republicans that are angry switch their votes to blue...

and don't stay home so we can capture the Oval AND Senate. I realize that is a dream election, but I truly believe that people have seen what happens when we allow a Trump-like candidate into the Oval and refuse to let it happen, again.

With Covid-19 deaths and the present protests over Floyd's death turning the U.S. into bedlam, Biden's calming voice stands out immensely over Trump's grumping and stupidity. I hope the people have had enough misery and will switch parties for their own good. My parents were always Republican (although I often suspected my father voted Democratic from time to time) and they would be so ashamed of the Republican party as it now stands.

I'll get my vote counted, but I'm compromised and it won't be easy. Just critical.

[Hassler]

5. Georgia yesterday, Iowa today, yet again I am thankful that

Oregon has had all vote by mail for over twenty years.