Senate File 36 cleared its committee assignment on Tuesday. The bill would provide for a two-person runoff to decide a primary election in which no candidate received more than 35 percent of the vote. Currently the parties hold a nominating convention to decide the nominee in such a situation.
The bill was filed by Republican Sen. Brad Zaun, who received the most votes in a Congressional primary, but did not get 35 percent of the vote. He ended up losing at convention to David Young. Young finished fifth in the six-way primary.
“First of all let me state that some might construe that I’m a poor loser about this,” Zaun said. “In my situation, I can tell you there was just an incredible group of people who were running. Everybody was working hard, raising money.”
Zaun stressed he was content with the results.
“The reality is I am very happy that I didn’t get elected because of the dysfunction in Washington D.C.,” Zaun said. “I think I can do more here in the Iowa Senate.”
The bill was amended to address a problem involving military voters, who require a certain amount of time for early voting to be offered.
The amendment passed, along with the bill.
Zaun noted the last time the bill was voted upon, it passed unanimously through the Senate. The bill is about respecting and honoring the vote of the people.
