House File 595 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 595 BY THOMSON A BILL FOR An Act relating to eligibility to vote in a primary election or 1 caucus. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2346HH (2) 91 ss/ns
H.F. 595 Section 1. Section 43.38, Code 2025, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 43.38 Voter confined to party ticket. 3 The elector shall be allowed to vote for candidates for 4 nomination on the ballot of the party with which the elector is 5 has been registered as affiliated for the one hundred twenty 6 days immediately preceding the primary election , and shall 7 receive no other ballot. The voter shall mark and return the 8 ballot in the manner provided in section 49.84 . 9 Sec. 2. Section 43.43, Code 2025, is amended to read as 10 follows: 11 43.43 Voters declaration of eligibility. 12 Each person voting at a primary election shall sign a 13 declaration of eligibility which shall be in substantially the 14 following form: 15 I do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a resident of the 16 ........... precinct, ......... ward or township, city of 17 ...... , county of ...... , Iowa. 18 I am a registered voter. I have not voted and will not vote 19 in any other precinct in this election. 20 I am affiliated with the ...... party. If my current voter 21 registration record indicates another party affiliation or no 22 party affiliation, I swear or affirm that I have in good faith 23 changed my previously declared party affiliation, or declared 24 my party affiliation, not later than one hundred twenty days 25 before this primary election, and now desire to be a member of 26 the party indicated above. 27 .................................. 28 Signature of voter 29 .................................. 30 Address 31 (........)........................ 32 Telephone (optional) 33 Approved: 34 .................................... 35 -1- LSB 2346HH (2) 91 ss/ns 1/ 2
H.F. 595 Election board member 1 ...................... 2 Date 3 Sec. 3. Section 43.91, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended 4 to read as follows: 5 1. Any person voting at a precinct caucus must be a person 6 who is or will by the date of the next general election become 7 an eligible elector, who has not already participated in the 8 caucus of any political party within the same year, and who 9 is a resident of the precinct , and who has been a registered 10 member of the political party holding the precinct caucus for 11 the one hundred twenty days immediately preceding the precinct 12 caucus . A list of the names and addresses of each person to 13 whom a ballot was delivered or who was allowed to vote in each 14 precinct caucus shall be prepared by the caucus chairperson and 15 secretary who shall certify such list to the commissioner at 16 the same time as the names of those elected as delegates and 17 party committee members are so certified. 18 Sec. 4. Section 53.2, subsection 6, Code 2025, is amended by 19 striking the subsection. 20 Sec. 5. REPEAL. Section 43.42, Code 2025, is repealed. 21 EXPLANATION 22 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 23 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 24 This bill requires a person to have been registered as 25 a member of a political party for the 120 days immediately 26 preceding a primary election or caucus held by the political 27 party in order to be allowed to vote in that primary election 28 or caucus. The bill repeals provisions allowing a registered 29 voter to change or declare a political party affiliation on the 30 day of a primary election or by submitting an absentee ballot 31 request form. 32 -2- LSB 2346HH (2) 91 ss/ns 2/ 2