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Judge halts parts of Iowa’s new voter ID law amid lawsuit

The state will also be prohibited for now from requiring that absentee ballots include a voter verification number.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A district court judge has granted a temporary halt on several provisions of Iowa's new voter identification law.

Polk County Judge Karen Romano's injunction approval, made public Wednesday, could impact the law's rollout in the November general election.

The injunction will stop the state from implementing components of the 2017 law that shortened the time to cast absentee ballots from 40 days to 29 days. The state will also be prohibited for now from requiring that absentee ballots include a voter verification number.

Romano also ordered Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate to stop distributing promotional material that doesn't specify that identification won't be required to vote in 2018.

The ID requirement is not in effect this year as part of a soft roll-out period, though voters were asked to show ID this year. They were still allowed to cast a regular ballot without valid ID, an option that will end next year.

The lawsuit's plaintiffs are the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa and an Iowa State University student.

Pate, a defendant in the suit, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

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