Iowa
Iowa
GradeB
Year2024
TierMid Tier

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Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

This year the Iowa Legislature made one minor, but positive, change to the state’s election laws. It extended the state’s existing election worker training requirement to all elections, not just the primary and general. Therefore, Iowa received a B on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where Iowa Started at the Beginning of 2024

  • Automatic Voter Registration: No
  • Online Voter Registration: DMV ID
  • Same-Day Registration: Yes
  • Restoration of Rights: Some Lifetime Disenfranchisement
  • Vote by Mail: No-Excuse
  • Electronic Registration Information Center Member: No
  • Early Voting Opportunities: Regular Ballot Early Voting
  • ID Requirements: ID Requested, but not Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Iowa as of 2024, we considered the state a middle tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2024 activity against other middle tier states.

How Our Tier Compares

  • COVI (2024): 24th
  • EPI Score (2022): 7th
  • CLC State Scorecard (2022): 6/10
  • MAP Democracy Rating (2024): FAIR

2024: This Past Year

Legislative Action

This past session, the Iowa Legislature passed legislation to ensure election workers receive training before all elections, not just the primaries and general elections.

  • HB 2466 extends the requirement for county election commissioners to conduct a training course for election workers to all elections. The bill also requires the state commissioner of elections to conduct an unofficial canvass of election results after most regular elections rather than just the general election as current law requires.