2009 Iowa Code
Title 2 - Elections and Official Duties
Subtitle 1 - Elections
CHAPTER 49 - METHOD OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS
49.10 - POLLING PLACES FOR CERTAIN PRECINCTS.

        49.10  POLLING PLACES FOR CERTAIN PRECINCTS.
         1.  Polling places for precincts outside the limits of a city, but
      within the township, or originally within and set off as a separate
      township from the township in which the city is in whole or in part
      situated, and a polling place for a township which entirely surrounds
      another township containing a city, may be fixed at some room or
      rooms in the courthouse or in some other building within the limits
      of the city as the commissioner may provide.
         2.  If the commissioner determines, or if a petition be filed with
      the commissioner ninety days before any primary, general or special
      election stating that there is no suitable or adequate polling place
      within a township constituting a voting precinct and that it is
      desirable and to the interest of the voters of that township voting
      precinct that a voting place be designated for it outside its
      territorial limits, the commissioner shall fix a polling place for
      that precinct, outside its territorial limits, which the commissioner
      deems convenient to the electors of the township precinct.  A
      petition submitted under this subsection must be signed by eligible
      electors of the precinct exceeding in number one-half the total
      number of votes cast in the township precinct for the office of
      president of the United States or governor, as the case may be, at
      the last preceding general election.  When the commissioner has fixed
      such a polling place it shall remain the polling place at all
      subsequent primary, general and special elections, until such time as
      the commissioner shall fix a different polling place for the
      precinct.
         3.  In any city in which precinct lines have been changed to
      comply with section 49.5, the commissioner may fix the polling place
      for any precinct outside the boundaries of the precinct if there is
      no building or facility within the precinct suitable and available
      for use as a polling place.  In so doing, the commissioner shall fix
      the polling place at the point nearest the precinct which is suitable
      and available for use as a polling place and is reasonably accessible
      to voters of the precinct.
         4.  A single room or area of any building or facility may be fixed
      as the polling place for more than one precinct.  The location of
      each polling place shall be clearly marked within the room or area on
      the days on which elections are held as the location of the polling
      place of a particular precinct, and suitable arrangements shall be
      made within the room or area to prevent direct access from the
      polling place of any precinct to the polling place of any other
      precinct.  When the commissioner has fixed such a polling place for
      any precinct it shall remain the polling place at all subsequent
      elections, except elections for which the precinct is merged with
      another precinct as permitted by section 49.11, until the boundaries
      of the precinct are changed or the commissioner fixes a new polling
      place, except that the polling place shall be changed to a point
      within the boundaries of the precinct at any time not less than sixty
      days before the next succeeding election that a building or facility
      suitable for such use becomes available within the precinct.
         5.  If two or more contiguous townships have been combined into
      one election precinct by the board of supervisors, the commissioner
      shall provide a polling place which is convenient to all of the
      electors in the precinct.  

         Section History: Early Form

         [C97, § 1091; S13, § 1091; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 728; C46,
      50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, § 49.10] 

         Section History: Recent Form

         93 Acts, ch 143, § 15; 2006 Acts, ch 1002, §1, 4