§ Iowa Code § 39A.1Title and purpose — election officials defined

39A.1 Title and purpose — election officials defined.
1. This chapter may be cited and referred to as the “Election Misconduct and Penalties
Act”.
2. The purpose of this chapter is to identify actions which threaten the integrity of the
election process and to impose significant sanctions upon persons who intentionally commit
those acts. It is the intent of the general assembly that offenses with the greatest potential
to affect the election process be vigorously prosecuted and strong punishment meted out
through the imposition of felony sanctions which, as a consequence, remove the voting rights
of the offenders. Other offenses are still considered serious, but based on the factual context
in which they arise, they may not rise to the level of offenses to which felony penalties attach.
The general assembly also recognizes that instances may arise in which technical infractions
of chapters 39 through 53 may occur which do not merit any level of criminal sanction. In
such instances, administrative notice from the state or county commissioner of elections is
sufficient. Mandates or proscriptions in chapters 39 through 53 which are not specifically
included in this chapter shall be considered to be directive only, without criminal sanction.
3. For the purposes of this chapter, “election officials” include the state commissioner,
the county commissioner, employees of the state commissioner and county commissioner
who are responsible for carrying out functions or duties under chapters 39 through 53, and
precinct election officials appointed pursuant to sections 49.12, 49.14, 49.18, and 53.23.