Iowans pass 2 constitutional amendments on ballot, on voting age, gubernatorial succession

Iowans voted to pass two constitutional amendments at the ballot box, making language changes to the state's age and citizenship requirements for voting and seeking to clarify instruction in the law for the gubernatorial line of succession.

Both of the constitutional amendments got overwhelming support from Iowa voters.

The first amendment on changes to voter age and citizenship requirements in the Iowa Constitution received 77% of the vote for passage.

The constitutional amendment on gubernatorial succession received 81% of the votes for passage.

Voters had the last say on whether the state’s constitution would be altered, but the process to amend it started years before. The constitutional amendment had to be approved by two consecutive two-year sessions of the Iowa Legislature before it went on the ballot, including other processes.

What does the voting age amendment say?

The voting age amendment will reduce the voting age from 21 to 18 years old to align with the language of the U.S. Constitution. It replaces Section 1 of Article II of the Iowa Constitution.

States are already required to follow the federal voting age law of 18 years old, which was established in the 26th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in 1971.

So the amendment simply amends the Iowa Constitution to match the U.S. Constitution, which the state already follows.

The amendment also clarifies in the Iowa Constitution that 17-year-olds who will be 18 years old by the next general election can vote in the primary election.

Constitutional experts say the voter age part of the amendment will have little to no direct effect on Iowans' lives.

What will changing 'every citizen' to 'only a citizen' mean?

In the same constitutional amendment as the voting age requirement change, Iowans passed a language adjustment regarding who can vote.

The measure changes the language at the beginning of the amendment from “Every citizen of the United States” to “Only a citizen of the United States.”

Allegations of voting by people who are not U.S. citizens, which is illegal according to U.S. law, have been a top concern among Republican lawmakers ahead of the election. Data shows that voting by noncitizens is a rare occurrence.

That part of the amendment sparked some recent conversation among Republicans and Democrats.

Representatives from the national group Americans for Citizen Voting say the amendment would prevent future laws that could allow noncitizen voting.

Some Democrats noted that some states allow noncitizens who are in the country legally and paying local taxes to participate in local votes such as city and school board elections, in which they have a direct stake. This amendment will prevent the Legislature from ever permitting that without another constitutional amendment.

Each vote in the Legislature on the proposed amendment was unanimous, and no legislator spoke in opposition or raised questions about its language on the House or Senate floor as it came up for votes.

Some Iowa Democrats said it had "flown under the radar."

The proposed amendment states: “Only a citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years, who shall have been a resident of this state for such period of time as shall be provided by law and of the county in which the citizen claims the citizen's vote for such period of time as shall be provided by law, shall be entitled to vote at all elections which are authorized by law. However, for purposes of a primary election, a United States citizen must be at least eighteen years of age as of the next general election following the primary election. The required periods of residence shall not exceed six months in this state and sixty days in the county.”

What does the gubernatorial succession amendment say?

The gubernatorial succession amendment says that if the governor leaves office for a number of reasons, the lieutenant governor will take that person's place. The new governor then can appoint a new lieutenant governor to fill the office's new vacancy.

The amendment sought to clarify the Iowa Constitution's current wording, which does not state that when the lieutenant governor steps in as governor, the lieutenant governor's office is then vacant. An office must be vacant before someone can be appointed to the office.

If the Iowa governor leaves office in the case of death, impeachment, resignation, removal from office or other disability of the governor, "the powers and duties of the office … shall devolve upon the lieutenant governor, the Iowa Constitution's current language says.

The impetus for the change dates to 2017 when now-Gov. Kim Reynolds, who was then serving as lieutenant governor, succeeded former Gov. Terry Branstad as governor when Branstad was appointed U.S. ambassador to China. But confusion arose over whether Reynolds could appoint someone to succeed her as lieutenant governor.

This amendment is unrelated to the departure of former Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg on Sept. 3. His position will be filled after the Nov. 5 election, Reynolds has said.

The amendment states: "If there is a temporary disability of the governor, the lieutenant governor shall act as governor until the disability is removed, or the governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office. In case of the death, resignation, or removal from office of the governor, the lieutenant governor shall become governor for the remainder of the term, which shall create a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor. This section shall also apply, as appropriate, to the governor-elect and the lieutenant governor-elect."

Sabine Martin covers politics for the Register. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (515) 284-8132. Follow her on X at @sabinefmartin. 

Register reporter Stephen Gruber-Miller contributed to this article.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowans overwhelmingly pass two constitutional amendments