A bill for an act relating to petitions for special elections to fill vacancies in city offices.

HF 510 changes how Iowa cities handle vacancies in elected city offices. If a city council plans to fill a vacancy by appointment, it must notify residents who can then petition for a special election within 14 days. The bill also allows city councils to challenge such petitions in court if the remaining term is less than one year and a special election would cause undue financial hardship for the city. This directly affects city councils' appointment authority and voters' ability to request elections to fill vacancies.