Des Moines, Iowa — Secretary of State Paul Pate says he’s ready to work with legislators to ensure state law clearly requires Iowans who sign nominating papers for candidates include the date they signed the petition.
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled last week errors in the dates next to three signatures on U.S. Senate candidate Abby Finkenauer’s nominating petitions were not grounds to disqualify Finkenauer from the June Primary ballot.
In its ruling, the Iowa Supreme Court said just last year the legislature passed a law outlining the specific reasons for rejecting signatures on nominating petitions, but that law did not address missing or incorrect dates on the signature line. Pate does not expect the state legislature to pass a bill on the subject before it adjourns this year, but he says it’ll be a priority in 2023. Pate says that way the law is clear when 2024 candidates begin collecting signatures on nominating petitions.
Pate made his comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which aired Friday on Iowa PBS.
