Bill > HF353

This bill modifies Iowa's election laws to more strictly regulate party affiliation and participation in primary elections and caucuses. The bill requires candidates seeking a partisan nomination to have been a member of that political party for at least one year before filing nomination papers, with an exception for first-time voters who are not affiliated with another party. Similarly, voters will now be required to have been registered with a political party for at least 30 days before participating in that party's primary election or caucus, again with an exception for first-time voters. The bill eliminates previous provisions that allowed voters to change or declare party affiliation on the day of a primary election or through an absentee ballot request form. These changes are designed to ensure that primary elections and caucuses are more exclusively participated in by long-standing party members, potentially reducing party-switching or strategic voting across party lines. The modifications apply to various sections of Iowa's election code, including rules for nomination papers, voter eligibility, voter declarations, and precinct caucus participation.

Government Affairs

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF353