More than 565,000 Iowa voters moved to ‘inactive’ status

More than half a million Iowa voters have been moved to "inactive" status for not voting in the 2022 midterm general election last fall.

The Iowa Secretary of State's Office said it has mailed notices to more than 565,000 individuals that their voter registration status has been changed through the list maintenance process. That's more than a quarter of the roughly 2.2 million registered voters in the state.

The notices will not affect anyone’s ability to vote in any election through 2026. The voting experience for inactive voters will be identical to that of active voters, said Jacob Holck, a spokesman for Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate.

The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature passed a bill signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2021 that requires the Iowa secretary of state to move all voters who did not cast ballots in the most recent general election to inactive status. Previously, voters had to miss two consecutive general elections to be moved to that status.

The new Iowa law was part of a nationwide push by Republicans to ensure that only those eligible to vote are registered and clean up outdated, bloated voter rolls they said invite fraud, the Associated Press reported.

Democrats at the time said the changes will wrongly categorize voters who purposely choose not to vote in an election or missed for a valid reason and could eventually lead to purges of some eligible voters, according to the AP.

Inactive individuals still are registered to vote and can participate in elections between now and the November 2026 general election, according to the secretary of state’s office.

Registered voters made inactive through the list maintenance process can return themselves to active status by requesting an absentee ballot, voting in an election, submitting a new registration, or updating their voter registration prior to the end of the 2026 general election cycle.

If they do not, their voter registration would be canceled after the November 2026 election and they would have to re-register to vote in the state.

“This mailing is just one part of the process to ensure Iowa’s voter rolls remain up-to-date and as accurate as possible,” Pate said in a statement. “It’s a crucial component to ensure clean, accurate and fair elections across the state.”

Iowans who receive the mailing should check the appropriate box, sign their name, and return the postcard in the mail. Postage is prepaid.

If the voter no longer lives at the address, the current resident may discard the mailing.

To check your voter registration status, visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com