Iowa Administrative Code
Agency 821 - Voter Registration Commission
Chapter 2 - Voter Registration Forms, Acceptability, Registration Dates, and Effective Dates
Rule 821-2.8 - Incomplete Applications

(1) No commissioner shall refuse to register or accept an application from an applicant unable to specify the correct ward, precinct, or school district for the applicant's address. The commissioner shall make a determination of the correct political subdivisions from maps, legal descriptions, and other means at the commissioner's disposal.

(2) The notice mailed to applicants who submit incomplete voter registration applications shall instruct the applicant that the applicant may provide the required information in writing by appearing in person at the commissioner's office to complete a new application or by mailing a new and complete application. If the incomplete registration application is received during the period in which registration is closed pursuant to Iowa Code section 48A.9 and by 5 p.m. on the Saturday before the election for general elections or by 5 p.m. on the Friday before the election for all other elections, the commissioner shall send a notice advising the applicant of election day and in-person absentee registration procedures under Iowa Code section 48A.7A.

(3) If the application does not include the applicant's Iowa driver's license number, Iowa department of transportation-issued nonoperator's identification card number, or the last four digits of the applicant's social security number, and the applicant has not indicated that the applicant does not have any of these numbers, the notice described in subrule 2.8(2) shall also include the following statement:

"Your voter registration application cannot be accepted because it does not include an Iowa driver's license number, an Iowa nonoperator's identification number or the last four numbers of your social security number. You must submit a new voter registration form before you can be registered to vote in this county.

"If you have an Iowa driver's license, you must write that number on your voter registration form. If you do not have an Iowa driver's license, use the number from your Iowa nonoperator's identification card. If you do not have an identification card issued by the state of Iowa, write the last four numbers of your social security number on the form. If you don't have any of these identification numbers, please check the box next to 'NONE' on the form. Failure to provide any of the three forms of identification will require you to register to vote on election day. Please note it is a Class "D" felony to provide false information on a voter registration application."

(4) If the applicant reports that the applicant has not been issued an Iowa driver's license, an Iowa department of transportation-issued nonoperator's identification card number, or a social security number, the commissioner shall assign a unique identifying number that shall serve to identify the registrant for voter registration purposes and code the registration status as "pending."

(5) The commissioner shall keep an incomplete application for voter registration for 22 months after the date of the next general election after the application was received.