Iowa secretary of state extends absentee voting period for June primary due to coronavirus
Stephen Gruber-MillerIowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is extending the June primary's absentee voting period for mailed ballots to 40 days in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Pate is also encouraging more Iowans to cast ballots by mail. But, he said in a news release on Monday, the polls will remain open in Iowa on June 2. The directive, which Pate signed Monday, means Iowans will be able to cast mailed ballots beginning on April 23.
“The safety of voters takes precedence, and by encouraging Iowans to vote absentee, we can reduce the risk of community spread of COVID-19,” Pate said. “We still plan on having polls open on June 2 for voters who prefer to cast ballots in-person, but this effort will help reduce the risk of infecting others.”
Pate, a Republican, said curbside voting continues to be available to Iowans with disabilities and anyone who might have difficulty entering a polling place. The option will be extended to those who are in the high-risk population for the coronavirus as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he said. The CDC says "older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19."
Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz, a Democrat, said the 40-day early voting window will be helpful to county auditors. And she said moving forward with the state's primary on June 2 is the right move.
"I think the most encouraging thing that Secretary Pate could have said, and did say, is that we want to do as much early voting as possible and that the election is going to happen. We’re quite capable of doing a June primary," she said.
Moritz said county auditors are looking for ways to increase the percentage of people who vote early by mail in light of the pandemic. She said she asked her county board of supervisors for the authority to mail every one of the county's registered voters a ballot request form, but was denied. Other county auditors are considering distributing ballot request forms along with water bills or newspapers, she said.
Iowa's primary will feature competitive races for federal and state legislative offices. At the federal level, Democrats will choose a nominee to face off against Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King faces several challengers in his primary in the 4th Congressional District.
More:Who's running for Congress in Iowa in 2020?
Several states have delayed their primaries over concerns about the coronavirus, including Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and Rhode Island. Puerto Rico has also delayed its primary, Alabama has postponed its runoff election for a U.S. Senate seat and Wyoming has canceled the in-person portion of its caucuses. Those states tend to have earlier primaries than Iowa's in June.
Iowa's early voting period has been 29 days since former Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican, signed legislation in 2017 mandating voter ID at the polls and making other changes to the state's election laws. Before that, the state allowed 40 days of early voting.
Pate, a Republican, was sued over the law in his capacity as secretary of state. The ID requirement and shortened early voting period were both upheld by the court. Pate originally recommended the Iowa Legislature pass a voter ID bill that did not involve shortening the early voting period, spokesperson Kevin Hall said.
As of Monday, Iowa had 105 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus. Seven people were hospitalized with the virus as of Sunday.
Iowa and other states around the country have made rapid changes to everyday life to try to slow the spread of the virus. In Iowa, most schools are closed for four weeks, the state Legislature has suspended its session and Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued orders closing businesses like salons, spas and tattoo parlors, as well as bars, theaters, gyms and other recreational facilities and limiting restaurants to carry-out and delivery options.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
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