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State lawmakers discuss proposals to ban ranked choice voting, set election recount cap

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River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer

Iowa would join 13 other states that have banned ranked choice voting under a bill advancing in the Iowa Legislature.

On this Legislative Monday, host Ben Kieffer and IPR assistant news director Grant Gerlock talk with lawmakers Rep. Austin Harris, R-Moulton, and Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, discuss two election-related bills alive in the Iowa House.

House File 928 seeks to reform the state's election recount procedures, and House File 594 among various provisions would ban the method of ranked choice voting, raise the voter threshold for defining political parties and require the department of transportation to share a list non-U.S. citizens for voter verification.

Iowa State Association of County Auditors president Adam Wedmore and Better Ballot Iowa executive director David Gion also share their thoughts on these bills.

Guests:

  • Adam Wedmore, Cerro Gordo County auditor and president, Iowa State Association of County Auditors
  • Rep. Austin Harris, R-Moulton, floor manager for HF 928, HF 954
  • Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City
  • David Gion, executive director Better Ballot Iowa
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Grant Gerlock is IPR's Assistant News Director, with expertise in reporting on education policy, the Iowa Legislature, water quality, and news in Central Iowa, all with an eye to helping Iowans better understand their communities and the state. He's covered education policy from the state to local level, environmental concerns and local policy implementations across the Des Moines and surrounding area, among many more stories, for IPR, NPR and other media organizations. Gerlock is a graduate of Miami University (Ohio).
Samantha McIntosh is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University. Since 2022, McIntosh has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.