This bill amends several sections of the Iowa Code to establish stricter eligibility requirements for individuals wishing to vote in or stand for election 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 first-time voters.

The bill also includes a requirement for voters to sign a declaration of eligibility affirming their party affiliation and registration status, 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 participation in primary elections in Iowa.

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