Senate File 42 SENATE FILE BY BOLKCOM and LUNDBY Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act allowing greater third party ballot access by redefining 2 political party. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1405XS 80 5 sc/cl/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 43.2, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 1 2 2003, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 The term "political party"shall meanmeans a party which, 1 4 at the last preceding general election, cast for its candidate 1 5 forpresident of the United States or for governor, as the 1 6 case may beany statewide office, at least two percent of the 1 7 total vote cast for all candidates for that office at that 1 8 election or, in the alternative, which maintains registrations 1 9 with that party in a number equal to or greater than one=half 1 10 of one percent of the total number of voters who cast ballots 1 11 in the last preceding general election. It shall be the 1 12 responsibility of the state commissioner to determine whether 1 13 any organization claiming to be a political party qualifies as 1 14 such under the foregoing definition. 1 15 EXPLANATION 1 16 This bill changes the definition of "political party" to 1 17 mean a party that receives 2 percent of the vote for any 1 18 statewide office, rather than for only governor or president, 1 19 or that maintains voter registrations to their party of 0.5 1 20 percent of the total number of persons who voted in the last 1 21 preceding general election. 1 22 LSB 1405XS 80 1 23 sc/cl/14 1 24 1 25 1 26 1 27 1 28 1 29 1 30 1 31 1 32 1 33 1 34 1 35