DES MOINES, Iowa — Secretary of State Paul Pate is expected to ask for Legislative Council approval to mail absentee request forms to all registered Iowa voters for the upcoming November general election.
The emergency directive is available to read here.
Pate expressed support for the directive on Twitter.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Governor Reynolds extended the Public Health Disaster Emergency through July 25, tasking Pate with adapting uniform election processes and procedures that will allow most Iowans to vote safely during the pandemic.
Pate is scheduled to ask for Legislative Council approval to mail the absentee request forms to all active Iowa voters, allowing for Iowans to avoid the polls and hopefully reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The mailings would include additional information regarding voting processes and information on the impact COVID-19 will have on elections.
In June, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that limits the secretary of state’s ability to send absentee ballot requests to all registered voters. The Secretary of State must now seek legislative approval in order to send them. This move followed a record turnout in this year’s primary election. That turnout is largely because of a surge in absentee voting.
LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) is suing the SOS over this lawsuit, claiming voter suppression.