(Radio Iowa) – The legislature has sent the governor a bill that forbids a school to be used an early voting location if there’s a bond issue for any school district on the ballot. Representative Austin Harris, a Republican from Moulton, led House debate of the bill.
“This has happened on multiple occasions where satellite absentee voting locations have been set up on school property for a ballot measure around events for the purpose of trying to influence the outcome of that election,” Harris said. Democrats opposed the policy. Senator Cindy Winckler, a Democrat from Davenport, says it’s faulty reasoning to believe a voter who opposes a bond issue wouldn’t vote early at a school.
“In many cases, especially in smaller communities, the school is one of the safest sites in their community,” Winckler said. “It also is handicapped accessible.” The bill prevents schools from being used if voters are deciding property tax levies for school renovation or construction plans, including sports facilities as well as other levies that support the operation of public schools.
