Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that shortens Iowa’s early voting period by nine days.

In a written statement, the governor said the new law gives Iowans even greater confidence to cast their ballots. Absentee ballots will now have to be in a county auditors’ offices by 8 p.m. on Election Day and 8 p.m. is the new closing time for voting at polling places on Election Day for statewide and federal elections. It had been an hour later. County auditors lose some discretion in making local decisions.

Marc Elias is an attorney who successfully argued against dozens of the 2020 election law challenges filed by Republicans. Elias says this is the first major voter suppression attempt in 2020 and Republicans should expect legal challenges to the law.