Des Moines, Iowa — Republican Governor Kim Reynolds says the Iowa Democratic Party is unwilling to accept that a mail-in system of ballots for their 2024 Caucuses is akin to a primary, and that jeopardizes the first-in-the-nation status for both parties’ Caucuses.
A bill, HSB 245, cleared a subcommittee in the Iowa House and it would require that participants in Iowa’s Republican and Democratic Party Caucuses attend the events in person. Representative Austin Harris of Moulton is the former political director for the Iowa Republican Party. He predicts New Hampshire will schedule its presidential primary ahead of Iowa’s Caucuses if Iowa Democrats are allowed to follow through with their plan.
Representative Amy Nielsen, a Democrat from North Liberty, says her party is looking to expand access to the Caucuses.
Nielsen says Republicans are inserting themselves into Democratic Party business.
Bill sponsor Representative Bobby Kaufmann, the son of Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann, responded to Nielsen.
Representative Brooke Boden, a Republican from Indianola, says the bill would maintain the integrity of the Caucus concept.
The bill also would require Caucus participants to be registered to vote as a Democrat or a Republican 70 days before the night of the Caucuses.
