SF 68 (LSB 2089XS (5) 91)

SENATE FILE 68

BY  TAYLOR

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to nomination deadlines for nonparty political organizations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 44.4, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  a.  Nominations made pursuant to this chapter and chapter 45 which are required to be filed in the office of the state commissioner shall be filed in that office not more than ninety-nine days nor later than 5:00 p.m. on the eighty-first seventy-third day before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in each even-numbered year date of the general election to be held in November. Nominations made for a special election called pursuant to section 69.14 shall be filed by 5:00 p.m. not less than twenty-five days before the date of an election called upon at least forty days’ notice and not less than fourteen days before the date of an election called upon at least eighteen days’ notice. Nominations made for a special election called pursuant to section 69.14A shall be filed by 5:00 p.m. not less than twenty-five days before the date of the election. Nominations made pursuant to this chapter and chapter 45 which are required to be filed in the office of the commissioner shall be filed in that office not more than ninety-two days nor later than 5:00 p.m. on the seventy-fourth sixty-ninth day before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in each even-numbered year date of the general election. Nominations made pursuant to this chapter or chapter 45 for city office shall be filed not more than seventy-two days nor later than 5:00 p.m. on the forty-seventh day before the city election with the county commissioner of elections responsible under section 47.2 for conducting elections held for the city, who shall process them as provided by law.
   b.  Notwithstanding paragraph “a”, nominations for president and vice president of the United States shall be filed in the office of the state commissioner not more than ninety-nine days nor later than 5:00 p.m. on the eighty-first day before the date of the general election to be held in November.
    Sec. 2.  Section 44.4, subsection 2, paragraph a, subparagraphs (1) and (2), Code 2025, are amended to read as follows:
   (1)  Those filed with the state commissioner, not less than seventy-four sixty-eight days before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in each even-numbered year, or for certificates of nomination filed under subsection 1, paragraph “b”, not less than seventy-four days before the date of the election.
   (2)  Those filed with the commissioner, not less than sixty-seven sixty-four days before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in each even-numbered year date of the election, except as provided in subparagraph (3).
    Sec. 3.  Section 44.9, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  In the office of the state commissioner, at least eighty-one days before the date of the election, or for withdrawals of nominations filed under section 44.4, subsection 1, paragraph “b”, at least seventy-six days before the date of election.
    Sec. 4.  Section 44.11, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   44.11  Vacancies filled.
   If a candidate named under this chapter withdraws or dies before the deadline established in section 44.9, declines a nomination, or if a certificate of nomination is held insufficient or inoperative by the officer with whom it is required to be filed, or in case any objection made to a certificate of nomination, or to the eligibility of any candidate named in the certificate, is sustained by the board appointed to determine such questions, the vacancy or vacancies may be filled by the convention, or caucus, or in such manner as such convention or caucus has previously provided. The vacancy or vacancies shall be filled not less than seventy-six days before the election in the case of nominations required to be filed with the state commissioner or not less than seventy-one days for nominations filed under section 44.4, subsection 1, paragraph “b”, not less than sixty-nine days before the election in the case of nominations required to be filed with the commissioner, not less than forty-two days before the election in the case of nominations required to be filed in the office of the school board secretary, and not less than forty-two days before the election in the case of nominations required to be filed with the commissioner for city elections.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill changes the filing deadline for nominations by nonparty political organizations for all offices that are required to be filed in the office of the state commissioner of elections, including for president and vice president, to the 73rd day before the date of the general election to be held in November, and the filing deadline for offices required to be filed in the office of the county commissioner of elections to the 69th day before the date of the general election. These were the filing deadlines for such nominations prior to 2019. The bill also makes conforming changes to the deadlines for the filing of objections to such nominations.