Iowa’s Gov. Terry Branstad (R) said Monday that he wanted polls to close earlier so as to “not have to wait up so late to see what the election results are.”
Branstad discussed the hypothetical change in an interview with the Globe Gazette on HF 516, which would require voters to present an ID to vote and would shorten the absentee voting period from 40 to 29 days, among other changes.
“It’s not in the legislation, but it’s something I would like to see and I think a lot of people who work an Election Day would love to see the Iowa polls close at 8 and I think the public would, too, like to see the returns and not have to wait up so late to see what the election results are,” Branstad said.
The Iowa House passed the bill last week after 12 hours of debate. The state’s Senate passed it on Thursday, sending it to Branstad’s desk.
ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis said of the bill, “Make no mistake: This is only the latest in a broad strategy to make it harder for qualified voters to vote and roll back decades of progress to expand participation in our elections by all eligible voters.”
Then-President-elect Donald Trump announced in December that he would nominate Branstad to be his ambassador to China.
