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SF 160

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

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sandy Salmon

Makes optical scan the default voting method, with a petition by 100 electors to require automatic tabulation, and allows paper ballots in low-turnout cases.

Subcommittee: Rozenboom, Schultz, and Winckler.
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Bill Summary · SF 160

SF 160 — Summary

A bill to standardize and expand the use of optical scan voting systems, with provisions for when paper ballots may be used and a petition process to override default methods.

Purpose and intent

  • Establish a default framework prioritizing the use of optical scan voting systems for elections, while preserving flexibility to use alternative counting methods in certain low-turnout situations.
  • Provide a clear process for counties, cities, and school districts to determine how ballots are counted for specific elections.
  • Create a minimal petition-based mechanism to require automatic tabulating equipment even when a low-turnout/alternative approach might otherwise be chosen.

Key provisions

Section 1 — Advance determination of counting method (Section 49.26(2))

  • The commissioner must decide, in advance of each election for:
    • cities with population of 3,500 or less, and
    • any school district whether ballots will be counted by:
    • automatic tabulating equipment, or
    • by precinct election officials (hand-count or manual counting).
  • The determination must consider:
    • voter turnout in recent similar elections, and
    • other factors likely to affect turnout.
  • If the commissioner determines turnout will be light and precinct officials’ counting is cheaper than automatic tabulation, paper ballots may be used, subject to the next subparagraph.
  • If paper ballots are used, ballots and instructions must be similar to those used when automatic tabulating equipment is used.

Section 1 — Petition override (Section 49.26(2)(c))

  • Notwithstanding the commissioner’s determination, at the request of at least 100 eligible electors, the commissioner must count ballots for the described election using automatic tabulating equipment.
  • The petition must be filed with the commissioner no later than 5:00 p.m. on the forty-second day before the election.

Section 2 — Default use of optical scan (Section 52.1(1))

  • At all elections conducted under chapter 49, and at any other election unless directed otherwise by the commissioner under section 49.26, votes shall be cast, registered, recorded, and counted by means of optical scan voting systems, in accordance with this chapter.
  • This establishes optical scan as the default counting method, with exceptions determined by the commissioner.

Section 3 — (Administrative/format provision)

  • The remainder appears to be formatting/versioning information (no substantive change beyond the above provisions in the provided text).

Who is affected

  • County auditors, city clerks, and school district election officials responsible for conducting elections.
  • Voters in cities with population ≤ 3,500 and in school districts within the state.
  • Jurisdictions that currently rely on manual counting may face changes in default counting methods or must prepare for potential shifts to optical scan systems.

Timeline and procedural aspects

  • Introduced: January 29, 2025.
  • Subcommittee action: February 4, 2025 (Rozenboom, Schultz, and Winckler).
  • Status: Under consideration by the subcommittee; no final floor action indicated in the provided text.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Costs and logistics: Optical scan systems require ballot paper ballots or compatible ballots and scanning equipment; jurisdictions may need to procure or upgrade equipment.
  • Administrative flexibility: The petition mechanism (100 electors, 42-day filing deadline) provides a check on the default method, enabling community input.
  • Transparency and auditability: Defaulting to optical scan can enhance vote counting transparency and auditability, while still accommodating low-turnout scenarios.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to a specific audience (e.g., policymakers, election officials, or the general public) or add a brief comparison with current law.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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