1. In order to provide the public with an early source of election results before the official canvass of votes, the state commissioner of elections, in cooperation with the commissioners of elections, shall conduct an unofficial canvass of election results following the closing of the polls on the day of a general election. The unofficial canvass shall report election results for national offices, statewide offices, the office of state representative, the office of state senator, and other offices or public measures at the discretion of the state commissioner of elections. The unofficial canvass shall also report the total number of ballots cast at the general election.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 50.15A

  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. a. After the polls close on election day, the commissioner of elections shall periodically provide election results to the state commissioner of elections as the precincts in the county report election results to the commissioner pursuant to section 50.11. If the commissioner determines that all precincts will not report election results before the office is closed, the commissioner shall report the most complete results available prior to leaving the office at the time the office is closed as provided in section 50.11. The commissioner shall specify the number of precincts included in the report to the state commissioner of elections.

 b. The state commissioner of elections shall tabulate unofficial election results as the results are received from the commissioners of elections and shall periodically make the reports of the results available to the public.
 3. Before the day of the general election, the state commissioner of elections shall provide a form and instructions for reporting unofficial election results pursuant to this section.