This bill amends several sections of the Iowa Code to establish stricter eligibility requirements for individuals wishing to vote in primary elections or caucuses. It prohibits a person from filing nomination papers on behalf of a candidate unless the candidate has been a member of the political party for at least one year prior to filing, with an exception for candidates who have not previously voted in any primary or general election and are not affiliated with another party. Additionally, the bill mandates that voters must be registered as members of a political party for at least 30 days before the primary election or caucus to be eligible to vote, again with exceptions for those who have not previously cast a ballot in any election.

The bill also includes a requirement for voters to sign a declaration of eligibility affirming their party affiliation and residency, and it repeals existing provisions that allowed voters to change their party affiliation on the day of the primary election or through absentee ballot requests. Overall, these changes aim to tighten the rules surrounding party affiliation and voting eligibility in Iowa's primary elections and caucuses.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43.17, 44.4, 43.43, 43.91, 53.2, 43.42