Post a public comment on Voter Suppression law - hearing 5PM today

(email from the Johnson County Dems)
(Please only submit a comment if you are from Iowa)

Dear Johnson County Democrats,

Thanks to Rep. Bohannan's office, we received word that Republicans in the statehouse will be holding a hearing tomorrow about their bill that will rewrite Iowa's election laws.

If you're reading this email, we need your help to stop this bill: scroll down to the bottom to find out how to submit a public comment online and/or attend tomorrow's hearing.

HF590: A Voter Suppression Bill

House File 590 is a voter suppression bill. It is designed to make it more difficult and less convenient to vote in the state of Iowa, in hopes that voter turnout will decrease in future elections. Here are just a few of its provisions:

1. The bill would cut Iowa's early voting period from 29 days to 18 days. This change would make Iowa's early voting period one of the shortest in the nation.

To paraphrase John Deeth's blog post about the proposed changes, an 18 day early voting period will
Create bigger crowds and longer lines for in-person voting; the goal here is to discourage people from voting.
Ensure that anyone who is out of town, has their ballot spoiled, or has delayed mail for any reason, will be unable to vote by mail.
The current 29-day early voting period was barely enough as it Is; 18 days is not enough time to fix anything that comes up.
2. It will become illegal to pre-fill any field on an absentee ballot request form aside from the date and election type.
This provision makes the most sense when you remember that state law prevents county auditors from using voter registration data to correct even the slightest mistake on an ABR form. The goal is to create more hoops to jump through so that fewer people can vote.
Remember that our Secretary of State, Paul Pate, has made multiple mistakes on his very own ABR forms in the past. No one is immune to clerical errors.

3. It would become illegal for a canvasser (or any volunteer) to deliver another person's absentee ballot to their county auditor's office. Exceptions exist only for family members, caretakers, or for people in assisted living facilities.
Ballot chasing campaigns would be over in this state if this bill passes, which you know we've done for decades.
This provision is designed to target you, me, and anyone else who has ever knocked on a door for a Democratic candidate and helped someone in that home get their absentee ballot counted in time.

4. Voters who miss one general election will have their registration set to inactive, which is the first step in purging them from the voter rolls. If a voter misses a midterm election, the cancellation process on their registration will start.

Rep. Bohannan outlined the consequences of this provision in a recent edition of her newsletter:
As I said in committee, if you go to the gym six days in a row and then miss one day, you’re not “inactive.” Plus, there are people who only vote in presidential elections. They have been doing that their whole lives. But under this bill, they would be purged if they don’t vote in the midterm. This bill would force people to jump through hoops just so they can continue to do what they’ve been doing for 50 years.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT:

The House will hold a public hearing about HF 590 tomorrow (February 21st) at 5:00 PM that will run for an hour and a half.

1. URGENT: Whether or not you are planning on attending, please submit a public comment about the bill before the hearing tomorrow.
You can leave a public comment about the bill online by clicking here.
Please pass the link around on social media, and encourage your followers, family, and friends to comment as well.
2. If you are attending in person, please note the following:
Submit a public comment on the bill here, and make sure to click "Yes" to the question "Do you wish to speak?", and "Con" as your position.
The hearing will start with introductions at 5:00 PM, and it will conclude at 6:30 PM. It will be held in Room 103 - Sup. Ct. Chamber (1007 E Grand Avenue).
Each speaker will be given two minutes; speakers for and against the bill will alternate throughout the hearing. If you're planning on speaking, consider bringing written testimony (though certainly not required!)
Rep. Christina Bohannan has some excellent talking points in her newsletter if you're looking for a place to start.
Feel free to use anything in this email as well.
Please make your voice heard on this bill, and please spread the public comment link far and wide.

Thank you for your activism, and thank you for your work as Democrats.

In solidarity,

Tony Andrys
Public Relations Chair
Johnson County Democratic Party