Despite the Iowa Supreme Court’s ruling allowing a handful of Republicans to remove Libertarian candidates from the November ballot, the Libertarian Party of Iowa is not backing down. The party remains committed to providing Iowans with real options as candidates Nicholas Gluba (1st District), Marco Battaglia (3rd District), and Charles Aldrich (4th District) launch their write-in campaigns.
“This decision may have taken our names off the ballot, but it will not silence the voices of liberty in Iowa,” said Jules Cutler, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Iowa. “We encourage voters to write in our candidates’ names to ensure that liberty and choice are still represented in this election. As seen in the 2020 Miller-Meeks election, seven votes can change the outcome.”
Also in 2020, a Libertarian candidate in Iowa’s 3rd District received over 15,000 votes in a close race. Each election cycle, more voters are casting their ballots for Libertarians up and down the ticket. Republican Party leadership fears Libertarian voices in these competitive races, especially after years of failing to deliver on their promises of small government and protecting individual rights. As Iowans become increasingly disenchanted with the two-party system’s stranglehold over the political process, Libertarian candidates continue to gain traction among voters.
The Libertarian Party would also like to thank its dedicated legal team: Jake Heard, Jennifer De Kock, and especially Jules Cutler, who played a key role both as Chair and legal counsel throughout the process.
“As one of the three major parties in the state, we fought hard to keep our candidates on the ballot,” said Jake Heard, who argued the case before the Court. “This fight is not over. The Iowa constitution states that all political power in the state is inherent in the people.” The Libertarian Party remains committed to providing more options on the ballot, not fewer, as our American founders intended.
Write-in campaigns are now underway in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Congressional Districts. Candidates will be providing voters with information on how to participate.
