Iowa Senate Bill SSB1013

Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/25
• Refer: 1/14/25

Caption

A bill for an act requiring primary elections for the nomination of candidates for city, school district, and merged area elections, and including applicability provisions.

Note

This legislation reflects a significant change in how local elections are conducted and may have far-reaching implications for the political landscape in Iowa, particularly in larger municipalities.

Impact

The implementation of this bill is designed to standardize the election processes across the state. It requires that all candidates for city, school district, and merged area offices must be nominated through primary elections held under the state's election code. Additional changes include the repeal of previous nomination methods, such as petition-based nominations and runoff elections. The bill also allows for the flexibility of using optical scan voting systems or hand-counting ballots as determined by the county board of supervisors, giving local entities more control over their voting processes.

Summary

Senate Study Bill 1013 (SSB1013) proposes to mandate primary elections for the nomination of candidates for city, school district, and merged area elections in Iowa. Currently, city elections in certain jurisdictions are conducted nonpartisan, with specific provisions allowing for special charter cities to nominate candidates differently. SSB1013 aims to unify the nomination process across various governmental levels by embracing a partisan primary election framework, especially affecting cities with populations over fifty thousand that have previously opted for nonpartisan elections.

Contention

While supporters tout the bill as a way to enhance democratic participation by establishing a more competitive and transparent nomination process through primaries, there are concerns regarding the shift from nonpartisan to partisan elections. Critics argue that this could lead to increased partisanship in local governance and potentially alienate candidates who do not wish to affiliate with the larger political parties. The broad applicability of the bill, set to take effect for elections after January 1, 2027, raises questions about the readiness of local governments to adapt to these changes and the possible impact on voter turnout.