A judge has nullified the Johnson County auditor’s absentee ballot request forms that were sent with the voter’s birth date and voter ID number printed on the form.
The judge ruled the Secretary of State has issued a valid order to send out only blank forms. Republicans and the Trump campaign filed the lawsuit. A spokesman for the Iowa GOP called the decision a victory for election integrity.
The auditors in Johnson, Linn and Woodbury Counties were the only county auditors in the state to send forms that were not blank. The move came after a new state law no longer let county election officials use voter registration records to correct mistakes on the forms.
Tens of thousands of now invalid forms were returned in Johnson as well as Linn and Woodbury Counties. The Secretary of State has sent every active voter a blank absentee ballot request form. Other groups are sending forms, too, so Iowa voters are likely getting several forms in the mail. A link on the secretary of state’s website lets Iowans track their requests and their absentee ballots.