Governor Kim Reynolds signed an election bill putting new restrictions on absentee and early voting in Iowa Monday

The bill, passed by a Republican majority vote in the Senate and House two weeks ago, cuts mail and early voting periods down from 29 to 20 days, will close polls at 8 p.m. instead of 9 p.m., and will levy criminal charges against county auditors for disobeying state law or not following state guidance. GOP lawmakers argue the bill will keep Iowa elections secure and constitutional. Democrats have called the legislation a voter suppression bill and comes on the heels of record voter turnout last November, which District 39 State Senator Kevin Kinney (D) of Oxford says Republicans themselves benefitted from, “It was an election in which the Republicans maintained control of the Senate, they gained seats in the house, and they won two congressional seats, so it’s not as if the Republicans aren’t getting their voters out as well as the Democrats.”

County auditors largely opposed the voting bill which also requires mailed absentee ballots to be received by Election Day instead of the postmarked date. Just four years ago, Iowa Republicans shortened early voting from 40 days to 29 days.