On Feb. 4, a press release from Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s office stated that in maintaining up-to-date voter registration information, registered voters who did not participate in the 2024 Iowa General Election have been marked as inactive. For voters who have not participated in two consecutive general elections, their voter registration has been canceled.
“This process is critical in balancing voter integrity and voter participation: clean voter registration lists keep elections secure and accurate, and same day voter registration allows any eligible voter to register to vote at the polls, on Election Day, and cast a ballot,” said Pate in his release.
In Pate’s press release, he stated that approximately 183,000 inactive Iowa voters who have not participated since the 2020 Iowa General Election now have canceled voter registration statuses. About 230,000 voters have been marked as inactive.
In Clarke County, the Clarke County Auditor’s office sent out letters to voters in early January altering them of their registration cancellation in Clarke County, due to inactivity for two consecutive general elections. The number of voters who received these notifications is about 650-700.
The change has come about from election laws signed by Governor Kim Reynolds in 2021, which along with other laws required voters to be marked inactive if they did not participate in the 2020 elections.
The following is found in Iowa Code of Election Laws, 48A.40, Voter list maintenance reports:
“1. The commissioner of registration shall annually submit to the state registrar of voters a report regarding the number of voter registration records marked inactive or canceled pursuant to sections 48A.28 through 48A.30. The state registrar of voters shall publish such reports on the internet site of the state registrar of voters. 2. The state registrar of voters shall determine by rule the form and submission deadline of reports submitted pursuant to subsection 1.”
According to data on the Secretary of State’s website, Clarke County has the following voter information:
Active voters by registered party:
Democrat - 1,036; Republican - 2,512; No party - 1,486; Other - 48; Total - 5,082
Inactive voters by registered party:
Democrat - 130; Republican - 138; No party - 342; Other - 12; Total - 623
Total Clarke County registered voters - 5,705
Statewide, there are 2,109,944 registered voters, of which a total of 1,880,150 are active and 229,794 inactive. In the 2024 General Election, Clarke County had a 72.87% voter turnout, with a 79.61% voter turnout in the 2020 elections; the 2022 election saw only a 55.65% voter turnout.
Notification of status
The state must notify voters of their registration change. As part of the 2021 election laws, the following is stated in 48A.28 “Systematic confirmation program:”
“1. Each commissioner shall conduct a systematic program that makes a reasonable effort to remove from the official list of registered voters the names of registered voters who have changed residence from their registration addresses. 2. a. A commissioner shall participate in the United States postal service national change of address program, as provided in section 48A.27. The state voter registration commission shall adopt rules establishing specific requirements for participation and use of the national change of address program. b. A commissioner participating in the national change of address program, in the first quarter of each calendar year, shall send a notice and preaddressed, postage paid return card by forwardable mail to each registered voter whose name was not reported by the national change of address program and who has not voted in the most recent general election and has not registered again or who has not reported a change to an existing registration. Registered voters receiving such notice shall be marked inactive. The form and language of the notice and return card shall be specified by the state voter registration commission by rule. A registered voter shall not be sent a notice and return card under this subsection more frequently than once in a four-year period. A registered voter shall not be sent a notice and return card under this subsection if the registered voter was not eighteen years of age on the date of the general election.”
The state will send out a card to those voters who will experience a change in status, which will include a prepaid return card which voters can fill out with their preferred status and send back. Voters can also return to or maintain an active status by voting, updating their voter registration or voting by absentee ballot.
As added to subsection g in 48A.30 - Cancellation of voter registration, “the registered voter’s registration record has been inactive pursuant to section 48A.28 or 48A.29 for two successive general elections.”
For those who did not vote in the 2024 Iowa General Election, their status will be turned to inactive in March. Letters will be sent out in audit years altering voters of this from their local county auditor.
Status and registration
Residents can check their and make changes to their voting status at www.VoterReady.Iowa.Gov. If one’s registration has been canceled, they can register again online, via mail or at their auditor’s office.
To register to vote in Iowa, one must be a United States citizen, an Iowa resident and at least 17 years of age, and will be 18 on or before election day. A person cannot register to vote in Iowa if they are a convicted felon whose voting rights have not been restored, have been judged mentally incompetent to vote by a court of law and cannot claim the right to vote in any other place.
For residents who believe they have received voter cancellation notices in error, they are encouraged to contact their local county auditor. They can ask for a review of any relevant information that establishes their right to vote.