Political Parties, Primary Elections and Campaigns

What is a political party?

A political party is an organization through which individual citizens work with others of similar ideas to elect candidates and influence the policies and conduct of government.

The functions of a party are to:

• choose candidates to run for office in the general election
• work for the nomination and election of its candidates
• formulate the party platform or stand on issues
• carry out party policies
• educate citizens in civic and political matters.

To qualify for official, full party status, a party must win more than 2% or the vote for President or governor in each general election.  Iowa currently has two official political parties: Democratic and Republican.

Parties that do not meet the 2% requirement may petition for a status called "political organization." These parties are listed on voter registration forms, but do not hold primary elections. Since January 1, 2008, voters have been able to register with two parties with political organization status, the Green Party and the Libertarian Party.

Can I register with another party?

Not now, but other groups may qualify for party or organization status in the future.

More information on ballot access and political party status

Can I register with more than one party?

No, if you check more than one box you will be registered as No Party until and unless you re-register or make a correction.

Can a third party candidate run for office in Iowa?

Anyone who meets the legal requirements may run for office.  Candidates for partisan office who are not the nominees of the Democratic or Republican parties qualify for the ballot through a process called nomination by petition and may choose whether or not to list the name of a party on the ballot.

Do I have to choose a party in order to register and to vote?

No. If you do not wish to belong to a political party or organization, you may leave the party boxes blank when you register or check the box marked "No Party."  However, only voters who register with a fully qualified party may vote in a partisan primary election (June, even numbered years) or participate in a party caucus (January or February, even numbered years).

I thought I was registered with one party but my card says I'm registered with another one.

You may have voted in a primary election or attended a caucus and changed party at that time.  If you wish to make any changes or corrections, you can use the correction part of your voter card.

How do I declare or change a party affiliation on my voter registration record?

Just fill out a voter registration form. Check the box for the party or organization of your choice. There are no other requirements.  If you leave the space blank or mark "No Party," you will be registered with no party.

Why can't I register as an Independent?  Why does it say "NP" on my voter card?

The term "No Party" and abbreviation "NP" are specified by law and used consistently statewide.

Am I required to work or give money to the party?

No. You have no obligations when you register with a party.

If I choose a party, do I have to vote for all their candidates?

No. Voters may choose whichever candidates they wish in secrecy without regard to party in the general election.

A primary is an election that takes place within each official political party.  No one is elected in a primary election.  Instead, voters affiliated with political parties select their party's candidates for the November general election. 

The most recent primary was June 5, 2012; the next primary will be on June 3, 2014.

Only voters who register with a party may vote in a primary, and only the full-status parties hold primaries.

Primary election: choose one party's primary or the other; cannot vote a split ticket. Only Democrats and Republicans on ballot.			General election: Everyone gets the same ballot. More parties on ballot, you can split your ticket.
If you are registered to vote as a Republican, for example, your vote in the primary election will help choose the Republican Party's nominees for various offices. Since you, as a registered Republican, are selecting your party's candidate to run against candidates from other parties in the general election, you will be given a ballot with only Republican candidates to choose from. You will not see the names of any Democratic or other candidates on your primary election ballot. In the general election, which decides who will actually fill the offices, all voters get ballots listing all of the candidates.

Can an independent vote in a primary?

Well, yes and no. You can walk IN as an independent, but you can't walk OUT as an independent. You have to declare affiliation as a Democrat or Republican before you vote.

NOTE: A city primary (October, odd numbered years) is not a partisan primary election, and eligible voters may participate regardless of party affiliation.

Can I vote for a Republican for one office and a Democrat for another?

In a general election, yes.  In a primary election, no.

Can I write in a candidate of one party in the other party's primary?

Yes, but the party primaries are separate contests.  In the example above, if you vote in the Democratic primary and write in Abe Lincoln, that will be counted as a Democratic primary vote for Lincoln, but it will not be added to Lincoln's Republican primary total.

Can a candidate be nominated as a write in?

A candidate must win 35% of the total primary vote in order to be nominated as a write in.

Can a candidate be the nominee of more than one party?

Some states allow candidates to appear on the ballot as the nominee of more than one party, a practice called "fusion."  However, Iowa law does not allow fusion. A candidate can only be on one party's primary ballot, and anyone who won the nomination of a second party as a write-in would have to choose which nomination to accept.

Can a candidate who loses a primary run as an independent or with another party in the general election?

Yes. Some states have so-called "sore loser" laws, but Iowa does not. Iowa's filing period for independent and other party candidates is in July and August, so a candidate who lost a primary would still have time to petition and qualify for the November ballot. (Some states have an independent/other party filing deadline that falls before the primary.)

Do political organizations have primaries?

No, but they may qualify candidates for the ballot through the nomination by petition process. They may have internal procedures, such as conventions, to choose their candidates, but those would be run by the party and not by our office. We only conduct primaries for the two full status parties.

If I choose a party when I register, can I change later?

Yes, you just have to re-register. Any Iowa voter may re-register and change party affiliation at any time, including at the polls.

How do I contact the political parties in Johnson County?

Links to nonpartisan election resources | Disclaimer

Where are the party headquarters?

Both full-status parties have permanent state offices in Des Moines. County parties usually open local headquarters in the months before a general election.

How can I find out about the candidates before I vote?  Can I get information from your office?

The Auditor's Office provides contact information for campaigns, candidates, and parties.  Before each election we post a list of candidates and ballot issues that includes addresses and (if available) phone numbers, e-mail addresses and web sites so that you may contact the campaigns yourself. 

We do not provide campaign literature or answer specific questions such as how a candidate stands on a given issue. Some states send "voter guide" books to voters before each election, but Iowa does not.

Campaign Finance

All local campaign committees file with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board (IECDB) as of January 1, 2003.  (Before that date local committees filed reports with our office.)

Candidates for statewide or legislative office also file with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board. 

Committees do not automatically close once an election ends.  The candidate or officers must close the account with a zero balance and account for all funds raised and spent.

For more information, please contact the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board.

Candidates for federal office file with the Federal Election Commission.

Campaign Signs

Campaign signs larger that 32 square feet must carry a disclaimer ("paid for by").

Signs may not be placed in the right of way.  In most residential areas this means between the sidewalk and curb.

Signs may not be within 300 feet of a polling place on election day. An exception is allowed for signs at people's homes, so if you happen to live near a polling place you may leave your sign up.

When can signs go up? When do they have to be taken down?

Courts have determined that laws restricting the time a campaign sign may be displayed are an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.  Signs may go up in a lawful location at any time before an election, and do not have to be taken down after an election. Some cities still have sign ordinances on the books, but these ordinances are no longer enforced.

Signs on Corporate Property: Campaigns for Candidates

In Iowa, corporations are not allowed to make contributions to campaigns for candidates, and a sign is considered a form of campaign contribution. However, campaigns for candidates may place signs on corporate property under certain conditions.  In all cases, other sign regulations (size and right-of-way) still apply.

Corporate property occupied by corporation:

• Candidate sign placement prohibited.

Corporate property occupied by individual tenants:

• Campaigns may place signs in common areas with written permission from all occupants.
• Signs may not be placed in the corporate office.
• Individual tenants may place signs in the area they are leasing.

Individual property leased to a corporate tenant:

• Campaigns may place signs with written permission from the corporate tenant.

Property owned by a family farm corporation:

• Campaigns may place signs.

Property rented as a campaign headquarters:

• Campaigns may place signs.

Copies of written permission should be available from the campaign committee upon demand.

Signs on Corporate Property: Ballot Issue Campaigns

Since corporate contributions to ballot issue campaigns are legal in Iowa, these campaigns may place signs on corporate property.  Other sign regulations (size and right-of-way) still apply.

Sign Enforcement

Our office is only responsible for the enforcement of sign laws in the polling place and immediate area.  If the complaint concerns a sign in the right of way, you may contact the appropriate road department (city streets department, Johnson County Secondary Roads, or the Iowa Department of Transportation). These departments are authorized to remove signs if they are in violation of right of way, as staff time allows. However, they may consider their other duties a higher priority. You should not remove signs yourself.

If you have other concerns about signs, document the possible violation and contact the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board. They do not have staff to go out and immediately enforce the law, but may reprimand a campaign after the fact.

• Iowa Ethics and Campagn Disclosure Board (IECDB) - Contacts and phone numbers
• Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board: Formal Advisory Opinion on Sign Placement

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