A bill for an act relating to petitions for special elections to fill vacancies in city offices.

HF 157 would have required Iowa city councils to notify residents if they planned to appoint someone to fill a vacant city office, allowing voting residents to petition for a special election instead if the remaining time in the term was at least one year. The bill specified that if enough signatures were collected within 14 days of the notice, the council’s appointment would become temporary and a special election would be held. It directly affected city councils and residents in Iowa cities with elective offices facing vacancies. The bill was withdrawn in March 2025 and did not become law.