SF 70 (LSB 2088XS (3) 91)

SENATE FILE 70

BY  TAYLOR

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the definition of political party.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 43.2, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  “Political party” shall mean means a party which, at either of the last two preceding general election elections, cast for its candidate for president of the United States or for governor, as the case may be any office elected by the electors of the entire state, at least two percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for that office at that election, or which has at least two thousand registered members. It shall be the responsibility of the state commissioner to determine whether any organization claiming to be a political party qualifies as such under this paragraph.
    Sec. 2.  Section 43.63, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  Upon receipt of the abstracts of votes from the counties, the secretary of state shall immediately open the envelopes and canvass the results for all offices. The secretary of state shall invite to attend the canvass one representative from each political party which, at either of the last two preceding general election elections, cast for its candidate for president of the United States or for governor, as the case may be any office elected by the electors of the entire state, at least two percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for that office at that election, or which has at least two thousand registered members, as determined by the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall notify the chairperson of each political party of the time of the canvass. However, the presence of a representative from a political party is not necessary for the canvass to proceed.
    Sec. 3.  Section 50.36, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  The secretary of state shall invite to attend the canvass one representative from each political party which, at either of the last two preceding general election elections, cast for its candidate for president of the United States or for governor, as the case may be any office elected by the electors of the entire state, at least two percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for that office at that election, or which has at least two thousand registered members, as determined by the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall notify the chairperson of each political party of the time of the canvass. However, the presence of a representative from a political party is not necessary for the canvass to proceed.
    Sec. 4.  Section 68B.2, subsection 13, paragraph b, subparagraph (1), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   (1)  Officials and employees of a political party organized in the state of Iowa representing more than two percent of the total votes cast for governor in the last preceding general election as defined in section 43.2, but only when representing the political party in an official capacity.
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 definition of “political party” to include a party whose candidate for any office elected by the electors of the entire state received at least 2 percent of the total vote cast for that office at that election or which has at least 2,000 registered members.