Federal Spotlight: Finkenauer to Appear on June Primary Ballot after Iowa Supreme Court Ruling
April 22, 2022
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled last Friday that former Congresswoman and former State House Rep. Abby Finkenauer can remain on the June Democratic primary ballot as a candidate for U.S. Senate.
A Polk County district court judge had ruled she was ineligible to be on the primary ballot after two plaintiffs argued three signatures were invalid because they did not include a date. This district court challenge came after the State Objections Panel, comprised of Iowa Sec. of State Paul Pate, Attorney General Tom Miller, and State Auditor Rob Sand, ruled 2-1 that the signatures were valid.
In its decision, the Iowa Supreme Court stated, “The date of signing might assist in verifying the petition if the signer was only an eligible elector for part of the time period during which the petition was being circulated, but it is hard to see why it would matter in any other context.”
Read the Iowa Supreme Court’s full opinion here.