Ballot Access and Candidate Qualifications

The Code of Iowa defines a "political party" as a party which, at the last preceding general election, won at least two percent of the total vote for president or governor. Currently, Iowa has two political parties with full party status, the Democrats and Republicans.

As of 2008, other parties may petition for "political organization" status. Political organizations are listed on voter registration applications, but do not hold primary elections. Iowa has two parties with political organization status: the Greens and Libertarians.

Fully qualified political parties nominate their candidates in primary elections, held in June. Individual Democratic and Republican candidates must petition to appear on the primary ballot.

Political organizations, parties without organization status, and independent candidates do not participate in the primary, but may qualify for the November general election ballot through a process known as nomination by petition. The name of the organization (for example, "Know-Nothing Party") may appear on the ballot, or the candidate may be listed as "nominated by petition."

If a candidate for president or governor wins more than 2% of the statewide vote, and lists an organization on the ballot, that organization can become an fully qualified political party. If this happens:

The Green Party and Reform Party have earned and then later lost full party status in recent years, though the Greens now have political organization status.

If two candidates for the same office successfully file using the same political organization name, the Secretary of State conducts a random drawing. In 2000, presidential candidate Pat Buchanan's name was drawn to receive the label "Reform Party." The other candidate who filed as Reform, John Hagelin, was instead listed as "Nominated by Petition."

Office	Citizenship	Residence and Qualifications	Age (when sworn in)	Where to File	Term	Partisan?
President and Vice President of the United States	from birth	U.S. Resident 14 years	35	Secretary of State	4 years (2 term limit for President only)	Yes
U. S. Senator	9 Years	Iowa Resident	30	Secretary of State	6 Years	Yes
U.S. Representative	7 Years	Iowa Resident (do not have to live in district)	25	Secretary of State	2 Years	Yes
Governor & Lt. Governor	2 Years	2 Years	30	Secretary of State	4 Years	Yes
All Other State-Wide Offices	Citizen	Resident	18	Secretary of State	4 Years	Yes
State Senator	Citizen	1 Year In State, 60 Days In District (as of general election date)	25	Secretary of State	4 Years	Yes
State Representative	Citizen	1 Year In State, 60 Days In District (as of general election date)	21	Secretary of State	2 Years	Yes
County Attorney, Auditor, Treasurer, Recorder	Citizen	Resident	18	County Auditor	4 Years	Yes
County Sheriff	Citizen	Resident No felony convictions. Certified peace officer (or complete training within one year of taking office).	21	County Auditor	4 Years	Yes
County Supervisor	Citizen	Registered voter in county (when sworn in)	18	County Auditor	4 Years	Yes
Township Offices	Citizen	Resident	18	County Auditor	4 Years	No (changed 2005)
School Board Members	Citizen	Eligible Elector	18	Sec. Of Board Of Ed.	4 years	No
Municipal Officials (Mayor, City Council)	Citizen	Eligible Elector	18	City Clerk	2 or 4 Years (varies by city)	No

For more information on filing for statewide or federal office, please contact the Iowa Secretary of State.

Senate terms are six years. Senator Harkin was re-elected in 2008, Senator Grassley was re-elected in 2010, and no Senate seat will be on the 2012 ballot.

(Attorney General, Auditor, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of State, Treasurer)

All 435 U.S. House seats are two year terms and were on the 2010 ballot. All of Johnson County is in the 2nd Congressional District. Beginning with the 2012 election, Iowa will elect only four U.S. House members, down from the current five.

1. Signatures equaling 1% of the total vote for the candidate's party (governor or president) in the last general election.

2012 2nd District requirements: Based on 2010 results for governor. Democratic Party 1,277; Republican Party 1,377.

2. Signatures equaling 2% of the total vote for the candidate's party in the last general election in at least half of the counties in the district.

State Senate terms are four years. The three senators whose NEW districts include parts of Johnson County (Bolkcom, Dvorsky and Greiner) were all elected to four year terms in 2010, so no State Senate seats will be on the 2012 Johnson County ballot.

State House of Representatives terms are two years and all seats will be on the 2012 ballot.

School elections are held in September of odd-numbered years. File with school district. School board is a non-partisan office. Iowa City and Clear Creek Amana have seven board members; Lone Tree and Solon have five members.

Signature requirements: 1% of the registered voters in the school district (as of May 1 of election year) or 50 signatures, whichever is less. 2011 requirements:

Through the 2007 school election, school elections were held every year, and school board members were elected to three year terms. In 2008, state law was changed. Beginning in 2009, school elections are held in odd-numbered years only, and terms are four years.

Since there was no school election in 2010, some school board members elected in 2007 had their terms shortened or lengthened to accommodate the transition. The last of these transitional terms expired with the 2011 election.

City elections are held in November of odd numbered years. Next city election: November 5, 2013. All cities elect council members. All cities except Iowa City also elect a mayor. More information on Iowa City Mayor and Council Districts

Terms are two or four years and vary by city. Candidates file with the city clerk. All city offices in Johnson County are non-partisan. (Iowa law allows cities to elect officials on a partisan basis, but no cities in the state currently choose this option. The last city with partisan officials, Davenport, voted in 1995 to change to non-partisan elections effective in 1997.)

Iowa City has seven council members and a district system; all other Johnson County cities have five members elected at large.

Iowa City and University Heights require a primary election if enough candidates file.

Iowa City has required a primary in every city election year since 1993. Our office's records of University Heights city elections date back to 1977, and University Heights has never needed a primary during that time.

Iowa City requirements are based on the number of votes cast in the most recent election. 2011 requirements:

Candidates for state or local office and ballot issue committees must open a campaign committee and file campaign finance reports with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board if they raise or spend more than $750. (Note: As of January 1, 2003, all campaign committees file with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board and not with the Auditor's Office.)

Congressional and presidential candidates file their disclosure reports with the Federal Election Commission.

Many local communities have regulations about sign placement. However, all restrictions on when signs may be put up or must be removed have been overturned as unconstitutional restrictions on free speech. Certain regulations still apply: