HF 595 (LSB 2346HH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 595

BY  THOMSON

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to eligibility to vote in a primary election or caucus.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 43.38, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   43.38  Voter confined to party ticket.
   The elector shall be allowed to vote for candidates for nomination on the ballot of the party with which the elector is has been registered as affiliated for the one hundred twenty days immediately preceding the primary election, and shall receive no other ballot. The voter shall mark and return the ballot in the manner provided in section 49.84.
    Sec. 2.  Section 43.43, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   43.43  Voter’s declaration of eligibility.
   Each person voting at a primary election shall sign a declaration of eligibility which shall be in substantially the following form:
  I do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a resident of the ........... precinct, ......... ward or township, city of ......, county of ......, Iowa.

  I am a registered voter. I have not voted and will not vote in any other precinct in this election.

   I am affiliated with the ...... party. If my current voter registration record indicates another party affiliation or no party affiliation, I swear or affirm that I have in good faith changed my previously declared party affiliation, or declared my party affiliation, not later than one hundred twenty days before this primary election, and now desire to be a member of the party indicated above.

                 ..................................
              Signature of voter

                 ..................................
              Address

                 (........)........................
              Telephone (optional)
Approved:
....................................

Election board member

                       ......................
                    Date
    Sec. 3.  Section 43.91, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  Any person voting at a precinct caucus must be a person who is or will by the date of the next general election become an eligible elector, who has not already participated in the caucus of any political party within the same year, and who is a resident of the precinct, and who has been a registered member of the political party holding the precinct caucus for the one hundred twenty days immediately preceding the precinct caucus. A list of the names and addresses of each person to whom a ballot was delivered or who was allowed to vote in each precinct caucus shall be prepared by the caucus chairperson and secretary who shall certify such list to the commissioner at the same time as the names of those elected as delegates and party committee members are so certified.
    Sec. 4.  Section 53.2, subsection 6, Code 2025, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 5.  REPEAL.  Section 43.42, Code 2025, is repealed.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires a person to have been registered as a member of a political party for the 120 days immediately preceding a primary election or caucus held by the political party in order to be allowed to vote in that primary election or caucus. The bill repeals provisions allowing a registered voter to change or declare a political party affiliation on the day of a primary election or by submitting an absentee ballot request form.