48A.8 Registration by mail.
1. An eligible elector may request that a voter registration form be mailed to the elector. The completed form may be mailed or delivered by the registrant or the registrant’s designee to the commissioner in the county where the person resides or to the state commissioner of elections for a program participant, as provided in section 9E.6. A separate voter registration form shall be signed by each individual registrant.
2. An eligible elector who registers by mail and who has not previously voted in an election for federal office in the county of registration shall be required to provide identification documents when voting for the first time in the county, unless the registrant provided on the registration form the registrant’s Iowa driver’s license number, or the registrant’s Iowa nonoperator’s identification card number, or the last four numerals of the registrant’s social security number and the driver’s license, nonoperator’s identification, or partial social security number matches an existing state or federal identification record with the same number, name, and date of birth. If the registrant under this subsection votes in person at the polls, or by absentee ballot at the commissioner’s office or at a satellite voting station, the registrant shall provide a current and valid photo identification card and shall present, as proof of residence, to the appropriate election official one of the following current documents that shows the name and address of the registrant:
a. Residential lease.
b. Property tax statement.
c. Utility bill.
d. Bank statement.
e. Paycheck.
f. Government check.
g. Other government document.
3. If the registrant under subsection 2 votes an absentee ballot by mail, the registrant shall provide a photocopy of one of the documents listed in subsection 2 when returning the absentee ballot.
4. A registrant under subsection 2 who is required to present identification when casting a ballot in person shall be permitted to vote a provisional ballot if the voter does not provide the required identification documents. If a voter who is required to present identification when casting a ballot votes an absentee ballot by mail, the ballot returned by the voter shall be considered a provisional ballot pursuant to sections 49.81 and 53.31.
94 Acts, ch 1169, §9; 2004 Acts, ch 1083, §6, 37; 2009 Acts, ch 57, §15; 2015 Acts, ch 96, §9, 17; 2017 Acts, ch 110, §17, 35, 36
Referred to in §9E.6, 48A.25A, 48A.37, 49.77, 49.81, 53.38
Structure Iowa Code
Title II - ELECTIONS AND OFFICIAL DUTIES
Chapter 48A - VOTER REGISTRATION
Section 48A.1 - Statement of intent.
Section 48A.3 - Commissioner of registration.
Section 48A.4 - Qualification of officers.
Section 48A.5 - Voter qualifications.
Section 48A.5A - Determination of residence.
Section 48A.6 - Disqualified persons.
Section 48A.7 - Registration in person.
Section 48A.7A - Election day and in-person absentee registration.
Section 48A.8 - Registration by mail.
Section 48A.9 - Voter registration deadlines.
Section 48A.10 - Registration required.
Section 48A.10A - Voter identification cards — verification of voter registration information.
Section 48A.11 - Voter registration form.
Section 48A.12 - Federal mail voter registration form.
Section 48A.13 - Electronic signatures on voter registration records.
Section 48A.14 - Challenges of voter registrations.
Section 48A.15 - Commissioner’s action upon receipt of challenge or withdrawal.
Section 48A.16 - Hearing on challenge — appeal.
Section 48A.17 - Registration at commissioner’s office.
Section 48A.18 - Voter registration at motor vehicle driver’s license stations.
Section 48A.19 - Voter registration agencies.
Section 48A.20 - Prohibited acts by voter registration agency employees.
Section 48A.21 - Transmission of forms from agencies and driver’s license stations.
Section 48A.22 - Voter registration by volunteer organizations.
Section 48A.23 - Registration at educational institutions.
Section 48A.24 - Deadline for submitting voter registration forms.
Section 48A.25 - Compensation for assistance in completing registration forms.
Section 48A.25A - Verification of voter registration information.
Section 48A.26 - Acknowledgment of registration form.
Section 48A.26A - Acknowledgment of election day and in-person absentee registration form.
Section 48A.26B - Form of acknowledgment.
Section 48A.27 - Changes to voter registration records.
Section 48A.27A - Voting more than once — referral and examination.
Section 48A.28 - Systematic confirmation program.
Section 48A.29 - Procedure upon return of confirmation card.
Section 48A.30 - Cancellation of voter registration.
Section 48A.31 - Deceased persons record.
Section 48A.32 - Destruction or removal of canceled voter registration records.
Section 48A.33 - Declination of registration opportunity.
Section 48A.34 - Confidentiality of certain records.
Section 48A.35 - Voter registration records under control of the commissioner.
Section 48A.36 - Electronic registration record retention in voter registration agencies.
Section 48A.37 - Electronic registration records.
Section 48A.38 - Lists of voters.
Section 48A.39 - Use of registration information.
Section 48A.40 - Voter list maintenance reports.
Section 48A.41 - Voter registration maintenance audits — investigations.