New Bill in Iowa to Raise Petition Requirements for Unqualified Parties and Independent Candidates

Posted on by April 5, 2019
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On April 4, a subcommittee of the Iowa Senate amended a bill that had already passed the House, to add a provision making ballot access more difficult for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties. Senator Roby Smith (R-Davenport) is responsible. The original bill, HF 692, had nothing to do with ballot access.

The amendment not only increases the number of signatures, but adds an unconstitutional county distribution requirement to petitions for statewide office and US House. Statewide petitions would need 4,000 (the existing law requires 1,500), with 200 signatures from each of ten counties. U.S. House petitions would need 2,000 signatures (the existing law requires 375 signatures), with 77 signatures from each of half the counties in the district.

State Senate petitions would rise from 100 to 200 signatures; State House petitions would rise from 50 to 100. Thanks to Joseph Howe for this news.

New Mexico Governor Signs Bill that Reduces Number of Signatures for Independent Candidates

Posted on by April 5, 2019
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On April 3, New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham signed HB 407, the omnibus election law bill that is approximately 500 pages long. Included in the bill is a provision easing the number of signatures for independent candidates. Under the old law, statewide independent candidates, including independent presidential candidates, needed 20,898 signatures. Under the new law, presidential independents need 3,483 signatures. Independents for other statewide office need 13,932 signatures. The new formula is one-half of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote for presidential independents, and 2% of the last gubernatorial vote for independents for other office.

Alabama and Montana are now the only states in which the statewide independent petition is greater than 2% of the last gubernatorial vote. The Montana requirement for presidential independents is 5,000, but for other statewide office it is 5% of the winner’s vote for that same office, which usually amounts to at least 2.7% of the total vote. Alabama presidential independents need 5,000, but other independent candidates need 3% of the last gubernatorial vote.

Iowa House Passes Proposed Constitutional Amendment to Let Ex-Felons Register to Vote

Posted on by April 4, 2019
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On March 28, the Iowa House passed HJR 14, a proposed constitutional amendment. It would let ex-felons register to vote. If the Senate also passes it this year, then it would need to pass both houses again in 2020. If it does that, then it would be on the 2022 ballot for the voters to decide whether to pass it. Currently Iowa is the only non-southern state that does not permit ex-felons to vote.