Statewide Iowa — Four of the seven justices on the Iowa Supreme Court have ruled county election officials cannot use voter registration data to correct mistakes on absentee ballot request forms.
In the past, county auditors have used voter records to fill in missing numbers or make corrections on the forms for requesting an absentee ballot. A new state law prohibits the practice. A majority of the Iowa Supreme Court sided with the argument from Republicans that it’s too close to the election to alter the rules.
Three justices joined in a dissent. They cited unprecedented early voting during the pandemic and evidence that county auditors are scrambling to ensure all who wish to do so may vote.
Under current law just upheld by the state’s highest court, if an absentee ballot request form has an error, county election officials are to call the voter or send a letter to the voter may correct it.
