Governor Kim Reynolds recently signed a new bill into law that changes some of the election process in the state.
The new law reduces the amount of early voting days from 29 to 20, polling locations will close at 8pm, absentee ballots must arrive at the county auditor’s office by Election Day to be counted and it designates who can drop off an absentee ballot to the county auditor’s office. The designees include the voter, an immediate family member, household member or a caregiver, whereas before the voter could designate anyone to deliver their ballot. District 24 Senator Jesse Green says the designee helps to avoid what he claims is ballot harvesting.
“This is a bipartisan thing. I think ballot harvesting is something that everybody can’t stand. Prior you could go house to house and pick up people’s ballots for them or just get their signature. In this case, it just kind of narrows it down to where more directly related to the voter, and just adds a little extra security.”
Greene County Deputy Auditor Billie Hoskins and Auditor Jane Heun argue that this change will cause more confusion for future elections.
“[Hoskins] They’ve changed it so many times and it’s just hard to keep track especially if they are going to drop it off in the dropbox, who is that person that’s delivering it? We don’t know? [Huen] And even at our counter. If they drop it off at our counter, I don’t know who’s related to whom, and who’s a member of the household, or a caretaker.”
Hoskins adds that they did not have issues during the previous presidential election or had any issues with voter fraud. Click the link below to see the legislation.