Senate File 70 - Introduced SENATE FILE 70 BY TAYLOR A BILL FOR An Act relating to the definition of political party. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 2088XS (3) 91 ss/ns
S.F. 70 Section 1. Section 43.2, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 1 2025, is amended to read as follows: 2 b. Political party shall mean means a party which, at 3 either of the last two preceding general election elections , 4 cast for its candidate for president of the United States or 5 for governor, as the case may be any office elected by the 6 electors of the entire state , at least two percent of the total 7 vote cast for all candidates for that office at that election , 8 or which has at least two thousand registered members . It 9 shall be the responsibility of the state commissioner to 10 determine whether any organization claiming to be a political 11 party qualifies as such under this paragraph. 12 Sec. 2. Section 43.63, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended 13 to read as follows: 14 1. Upon receipt of the abstracts of votes from the counties, 15 the secretary of state shall immediately open the envelopes 16 and canvass the results for all offices. The secretary of 17 state shall invite to attend the canvass one representative 18 from each political party which, at either of the last two 19 preceding general election elections , cast for its candidate 20 for president of the United States or for governor, as the case 21 may be any office elected by the electors of the entire state , 22 at least two percent of the total vote cast for all candidates 23 for that office at that election, or which has at least two 24 thousand registered members, as determined by the secretary of 25 state. The secretary of state shall notify the chairperson 26 of each political party of the time of the canvass. However, 27 the presence of a representative from a political party is not 28 necessary for the canvass to proceed. 29 Sec. 3. Section 50.36, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 30 to read as follows: 31 2. The secretary of state shall invite to attend the canvass 32 one representative from each political party which, at either 33 of the last two preceding general election elections , cast 34 for its candidate for president of the United States or for 35 -1- LSB 2088XS (3) 91 ss/ns 1/ 2
S.F. 70 governor, as the case may be any office elected by the electors 1 of the entire state , at least two percent of the total vote 2 cast for all candidates for that office at that election, 3 or which has at least two thousand registered members, as 4 determined by the secretary of state. The secretary of state 5 shall notify the chairperson of each political party of the 6 time of the canvass. However, the presence of a representative 7 from a political party is not necessary for the canvass to 8 proceed. 9 Sec. 4. Section 68B.2, subsection 13, paragraph b, 10 subparagraph (1), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 11 (1) Officials and employees of a political party organized 12 in the state of Iowa representing more than two percent of the 13 total votes cast for governor in the last preceding general 14 election as defined in section 43.2 , but only when representing 15 the political party in an official capacity. 16 EXPLANATION 17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 18 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 19 This bill changes the definition of political party to 20 include a party whose candidate for any office elected by the 21 electors of the entire state received at least 2 percent of the 22 total vote cast for that office at that election or which has 23 at least 2,000 registered members. 24 -2- LSB 2088XS (3) 91 ss/ns 2/ 2