A bill for an act relating to the recounting and contesting of elections, and providing penalties.

HF 596 changes Iowa's election recount rules for most races. It requires a recount if the vote difference between the apparent winner and the requesting candidate is 1% or less, with specific deadlines (e.g., by 5 p.m. on the second Wednesday after election day). Candidates must post a bond for recounts unless the margin is under 50 votes or 0.1% of total votes. The bill also standardizes recount procedures, including forming a recount board with representatives from both candidates and a neutral third member, and clarifies that statewide election recounts will be managed by the state election commissioner. This directly affects candidates seeking recounts and county/state election officials handling the process.