Major party candidates for state and federal office have until 5 p.m. today to deliver their nominating petitions to the Secretary of State’s office in Des Moines.
In order to run in November’s General Election, Republicans and Democrats either have to win their party’s primary election in June or be nominated at party conventions in the following weeks. Most candidates haven’t procrastinated and have already dropped off binders full of petition sheets signed by eligible Iowa voters.
The number of petition signatures varies based on the office a candidate seeks. Candidates for governor and the U.S. Senate have to submit at least 3500 petition signatures and have to show they’ve collected at least 100 signatures from 19 counties.
Under new rules, candidates from other political parties have to submit petition signatures by today’s deadline to qualify for the November ballot. By the close of business Thursday, the Libertarian Party has candidates running for governor and lieutenant governor and four legislative seats. Four other candidates who intend to run for state offices in November are listed as “no party” or independent candidates.
Candidates for county offices have until next Friday, March 25th, to deliver their nominating petitions to the auditor’s office in their county.