A bill for an act relating to the use of automatic tabulating equipment and optical scan voting systems.

HF 169 removes a requirement that Iowa counties use optical scan voting systems for most elections. The bill eliminates the mandate from existing law that forced counties to use these systems, making their use optional instead. It retains a provision allowing 100 voters to petition for automatic tabulating equipment in small elections, but no longer requires counties to use optical scan systems unless they choose to. This change applies to all elections under Chapter 49, except where the commissioner directs otherwise. The bill directly affects Iowa election officials and county election administrators.