Iowans will find two constitutional amendments on this year’s ballot

Iowa voters will have two constitutional amendments on their ballots this fall. A simple majority – 50 percent plus one vote – is needed to adopt the proposed amendments.

The process of amending the state’s constitution starts with the Iowa Legislature. State lawmakers can propose an amendment to the constitution. That proposal must pass twice in sessions separated by a general election, and then they go to a public vote in a general election. The amendments on this year’s ballot were approved by state lawmakers in 2022 and 2023.

The amendments on the Nov. 5 ballot concern voting age and the gubernatorial line of succession.

On each ballot, voters are provided a summary of the proposed amendment and the full text of how language in the constitution would be amended.

Voting age in Iowa

The proposed amendment would codify Iowa’s voting age as 18, not 21. Though 18-year-olds have had the right to vote in Iowa for decades, the state constitution still says citizens age 21 and older have the right to vote under an amendment ratified in 1970.

The proposed amendment also would allow 17-year-olds, who will turn 18 by the general election, to vote in a primary election.

It also would change language in the constitution to state that “only U.S. citizens” can vote. The current language states that “every” citizen can vote.

The proposed amendment passed the Iowa Legislature in 2022 and 2023.

The summary of the amendment, which is printed on ballots, states that the amendment, “Provides for only U.S. citizens aged 18 or older and meeting state and county residency requirements to vote in all elections. Further provides that 17-year-olds who will be 18 years old by the General Election are eligible to vote in the primary election, subject to the same citizenship and residency requirements.”

The exact text of the amendment to Article II, Section 1 of the constitution is: “Only a citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years, who shall have been a resident of this state for such period of time as shall be provided by law and of the county in which the citizen claims the citizen’s vote for such period of time as shall be provided by law, shall be entitled to vote at all elections which are authorized by law. However, for purposes of a primary election, a United States citizen must be at least eighteen years of age as of the next general election following the primary election. The required periods of residence shall not exceed six months in this state and sixty days in the county.”

Gubernatorial succession in Iowa

The proposed amendment would provide clear guidelines for what happens if an Iowa governor resigns, dies or is removed from office.

The issue arose in 2017, when Gov. Kim Reynolds replaced former Gov. Terry Branstad. A legal question arose about whether the constitution granted Reynolds’ appointed lieutenant governor, Adam Gregg, the office’s full authority and whether he would become governor if Reynolds died or had to leave office.

For Reynolds and Gregg, the question was eliminated when Reynolds and Gregg were elected to their offices in 2018.

The proposed amendment passed the Iowa Legislature in 2022 and 2023.

The summary of the amendment, which is printed on ballots, states that the amendment, “Provides that the lieutenant governor will act as the governor if there is a temporary disability of the governor. Further provides that the lieutenant governor or lieutenant governor-elect will be the governor or governor-elect in the case of the resignation, death, or permanent disability of the governor or governor-elect thus creating a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor or lieutenant governor-elect, as appropriate.”

The exact text of the amendment to Article IV, Section 17 is: “Lieutenant governor or lieutenant governor-elect to become or act as governor or governor-elect. If there is a temporary disability of the governor, the lieutenant governor shall act as governor until the disability is removed, or the governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office. In case of the death, resignation, or removal from office of the governor, the lieutenant governor shall become governor for the remainder of the term, which shall create a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor. This section shall also apply, as appropriate, to the governor-elect and lieutenant governor-elect.”