Filing for primary election begins in February

MARENGO — Candidates for federal and state offices may begin filing nomination papers for the June 2 primary election with the Iowa Secretary of State Monday, Feb. 23.

County candidates may begin filing papers in their county auditor’s offices Monday, March. 2.

Papers for state and federal offices must be filed by 5 p.m. Friday, March 13. Candidates for county offices must file by 5 p.m. Friday, March 20.

Collecting signatures

Candidates may begin collecting signatures on their nomination forms at any time. However, the signers still must be eligible electors when the papers are filed in order for the signatures to count.

An eligible elector must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Iowa, at least 18 years old.

An eligible elector may not be a convicted felon (unless voting rights have been restored by the president or governor, including through an executive order), currently judged incompetent to vote by a court or claim the right to vote in any other place.

Each signer must include a signature (the signature may be printed) and the address of their residence including a house number, street name and city. Providing only a post office box is not sufficient.

A signer who is homeless should describe where the signer lives or write “homeless.”

Candidates may sign their own petitions assuming they are eligible electors of the county or district. There is no limit on the number of nomination petitions one elector may sign for different candidates.

Candidates for the U.S. Senate and for governor or lieutenant governor need 3,500 signatures, including at least 100 from at least 19 counties. A candidate for the U.S. House needs 1,726 signatures including at least 47 from half of the counties in the congressional district.

Candidates for Iowa Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Secretary of Agriculture and Attorney General need 2,500 signatures, including at least 77 from at least 18 counties.

Candidates for State Senate need 100 signatures from the district, and State Representatives need 50 from the district.

Candidates for county offices in counties of 15,000 to 50,000 people need at least 75 signatures.

The primary election

The primary election in Iowa decides the candidates for the general election for the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Winners of the primary election will have their names automatically placed on the general election ballot.

Candidates who have no party affiliation or who are affiliated with a non-party political organization cannot appear on a primary election ballot. These candidates must file during the general election filing period to have their names placed on the general election ballot.

Filing for those candidates for state and federal office begins Feb. 23 ends at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. County candidates may file from March 2 until 5 p.m. June 2.

Each candidate must file an affidavit of candidacy and nomination petitions with the county auditor for county offices or with the Secretary of State’s Office for federal and state offices. The affidavit of candidacy and nomination petitions must be filed together or they will be rejected.

Copies of nomination papers are available at the county auditor’s office or on the Secretary of State’s website, sos.iowa.gov/.

Candidates must be eligible electors of the jurisdiction and district (if any) at the time of the election. An eligible elector meets all of the requirements to register to vote but does not have to be registered to vote.

Federal and State candidate lists will be available and updated throughout the filing period at the Secretary of State’s Office.

County auditor’s will have information about county candidates.

Caucuses

Iowa County Democrats and Republicans will be conducting party caucuses next month as June primary elections approach.

The Iowa County Democratic Party will meet Monday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. at the Iowa Valley Junior-Senior High School, 359 E. Hilton, St. in Marengo. Those who attend should use the gym entrance.

Caucus goers will elect delegates to the county convention and discuss the county platform

Iowa County Republican precinct caucuses will be 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at several locations:

Millersburg City Hall, 461 Washington St., Millersburg for Dayton and English I precincts

North English City Hall, 200 S. Main St., North English, for precinct English II

Parnell City Hall, 600 Cleveland St., Parnell, for Fillmore and Greene precincts

Victor City Hall, 707 2nd St., Victor for Hartford and Sumner and Hartford 2 and Lincoln precincts

Hilton Hall, 550 Seventh Ave., Conroy, for Washington and Hilton precincts

Marengo Library, 235 E. Hilton St., Marengo, for Honey Creek and Marengo precincts

Welfare Club, 4215 V St., Homestead, for Lenox and Iowa precincts

Marengo High School auditorium, 359 E. Hilton St., Marengo, for Marengo City precinct

Williamsburg Public Library small meeting room, 300 W. State St., for Pilot, Troy, York and Williamsburg City precincts

The party will elect delegates to the Iowa County Republican Convention set for Saturday, March. 7, and will discus the party platform.