Panel to decide if candidates can be on June ballot

Challenges to 8 candidates being on June's primary election ballot will be decided by three people Tuesday.

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, State Auditor Mary Mosiman and Secretary of State Paul Pate are the panel that will resolve challenges to the candidates being on the ballot.

Among those they'll hear:

  • A challenge by Craig Robinson of the website The Iowa Republican which alleges that there are enough duplicate signatures on the nominating petitions to eliminate Ron Corbett from getting the requisite number to appear on the ballot for the Republican nomination for Governor.
  • Theresa Greenfield's candidacy to run against three other Democrats in the 3rd congressional district is up for grabs.  The Democratic 3rd District Committee Monday approved her name being added to the ballot after Greenfield was disqualified for not having enough valid signatures on her nominating petition. Greenfield cites a state law dealing with the death or withdrawal of a candidate as their authority to act which several lawyers have said is "iffy" in any application to her case.  The panel will be asked to rule whether the political party has the power to add her to the ballot.
  • Governor Kim Reynolds is also facing a challenge, from a Libertarian candidate who says she put her logo on nominating petitions and failed to scrub phone numbers and email addresses from the names when they were submitted.
  • Republican Congressmen Steve King and David Young both face similar challenges as Governor Reynolds to their nominating petitions.
  • Republican candidate for the 2nd Congressional District, Ginny Caligiuri is facing a challenge from GOP candidate, Dr. Christopher Peters for not having sufficient names on the petition.
  • Two candidates for the Iowa House, Dale Bolsinger in District 56 and Shawn Zierke of District 76 also face challenges.  Zierke has withdrawn from the race after his nomination papers were turned in for a would-be primary against David Maxwell.

The three-member panel's becoming a staple of legislative races, but this is the first time in recent history it's ruled on congressional and state races.  

The last time the three officers gathered was in 2014, when primary opponent Ned Chiodo contended that Tony Bisignano couldn't run for the Iowa Senate because of two drunk driving convictions.  The panel ruled Bisinano could run and he won the primary and the Iowa Senate seat.  Attorney General Tom Miller and State Auditor Mary Mosiman were on that 2014 panel and will hear Tuesday's challenges.  Secretary of State Paul Pate's getting his first time at the helm.


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