Legislation aimed at preserving Iowa’s presidential caucus process passed the Iowa House on Monday. Republican State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann said the bill requires caucuses to be held in person, that individuals have to be registered with a party for 70 days to participate in a caucus and that the requirement for the Secretary of State to participate in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) database.
The bill passed 61-33, with all present Republicans supporting the measure and all present Democrats opposing it.
In addition, an amendment passed to change current law. Currently, if two people tie in a primary, the winner is drawn out of a hat. The amendment will make it so the respective party’s people in charge can decide who the nominee is.
There was also an amendment to allow state central committees to dictate the terms, including voter registration guidelines and deadlines. If the caucuses have the intention of nominating folks for national convention, it requires the event to take place in-person.
Democrat State Rep. Amy Nielsen said she doesn’t understand why the legislation is needed.
“Our caucuses have plenty of integrity,” she said. “They run pretty decently when our national parties stay out of it. I believe that this is just more of the same that we’ve seen this session — overreach and micromanagement into things that really run just fine without the state’s interference.”
