Senate File 80 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY BOLKCOM 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 2160SS 81 5 sc/gg/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 43.2, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 1 2 2005, 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 for presidentof the United States or for governor, as the 1 6 case may beor any statewide office, at least two percent of 1 7 the 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 president 1 18 or any statewide office, rather than for only governor or 1 19 president, or that maintains voter registrations to their 1 20 party of 0.5 percent of the total number of persons who voted 1 21 in the last preceding general election. 1 22 LSB 2160SS 81 1 23 sc:rj/gg/14