Iowa Voter Suppression Laws
League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa v. Pate
Lawsuit filed on behalf of the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa challenging provisions of Iowa voter suppression laws Senate File 413 and Senate File 568. The case claims that the laws’ voting restrictions — including reducing the number of days a voter can request and return an absentee ballot, shortening the time polls are open on Election Day and more — create an undue burden on the fundamental right to vote in violation of the Iowa Constitution. The Republican National Convention (RNC), National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and Republican Party of Iowa intervened in the case. A trial that was scheduled to begin mid-March has been postponed while Republican legislators appeal a trial court decision regarding legislative privilege and discovery.
STATUS: On Feb. 23, 2024, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that legislative privilege applied to the state legislators who drafted Senate File 413 and Senate File 568. The case returned to the trial court where litigation is ongoing.
Case Documents (Trial court)
Case Documents (Ia supreme court)
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