Des Moines, Iowa — Republicans in the Iowa Senate have passed legislation to reduce the early voting period in Iowa by nine days and move up the deadline for getting absentee ballots to a county auditor’s office.
The bill also calls for the polls on Election Day to close an hour earlier, at 8 p.m. Senator Jim Carlin of Sioux City, a Republican who announced last week he’ll run for the U.S. Senate in 2022, says Donald Trump’s loss is the reason the bill’s on the fast track at the statehouse.
(as said) “Millions and millions and millions believe there was fraud,” Carlin says. “Most of us in my caucus, the Republican caucus, believe the election was stolen.”
Senator Claire Celsi a Democrat from Des Moines, says the bill is unnecessary.
(as said) “All it does is perpetuate the big lie that the election was not legitimate and Iowa is compelled to fix non-existent problems,” Celsi says.
All the Democrats in the Senate, including Joe Bolkcom of Iowa City, voted against the bill.
(as said) “It does not solve any real problems. It creates problems,” Bolkcom said. “The bill does not make voting more secure. It just makes it far more difficult.”
Senator Zach Whiting a Republican from Spirit Lake, says it’s not hard to vote in Iowa and this bill won’t change that.
(as said) “It takes effort — not much effort,” Whiting said. “Take your voter ID, take your ID, go to the polls, vote, request a ballot – those options existed…and they will endure even beyond this bill.”
Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, says Republicans are acting like authoritarians.
(as said) “In Iowa, Republicans, heck you won! You won big in 2020 here!” Jochum said. “But nationally, you lost the presidency, so is that the excuse? Really?”
Republican Senator Roby Smith of Davenport calls Democrats’ complaints propaganda.
(as said) “Anti-voter? Suppression? Tired old worn out talking point,” Smith said.
Smith’s bill establishes what he calls a “sure count” of mail-in ballots. Under current law, an absentee ballot mailed the Monday before the Election can be counted if it is delivered by the following Monday. The bill that cleared the Senate says mail-in ballots must be at the county auditor’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Night.
