DES MOINES, Iowa — Three Libertarian candidates in Iowa running for the U.S. House will not be listed on ballots this November after a panel ruled they failed to comply with state law, a decision that could affect the outcome of at least one tightly contested race.
The state’s objection committee, composed of one Democratic and two Republican elected officials, ruled 2-1 Wednesday in favor of Iowans who challenged the candidates’ legitimacy.
The challengers, most of whom are affiliated with the Republican Party in their counties, were represented by conservative attorney Alan Ostergren. At the hearing, Ostergren said the Libertarian candidates were not nominated at valid county conventions and the party failed to provide county officials with required documentation.
The chair of the Libertarian Party of Iowa, Jules Cutler, told reporters after the hearing that Democrats and Republicans have both “done everything to keep us off the ballot.”
But the Democrat on the panel who opposed the candidates’ removal, State Auditor Rob Sand, accused his colleagues of political bias, saying in a statement that the decision was “a wrong-headed plot by Iowa’s uniparty to limit voters’ choices.”
Republicans hold every other statewide office in Iowa besides auditor, as well as majorities in both legislative chambers.
Attorney General Brenna Bird and Secretary of State Paul Pate, both Republicans, voted to uphold the challenges. Pate said in a statement after the hearing that his role is “to be a referee of elections and administer the law as written.”
“Of course, we don’t want to keep people off the ballot on technicalities,” Bird said at the hearing. “But party status has been in place. … There are obligations that come with that. We have to follow that.”
Independent or third-party candidates usually have little chance of winning, but the question of how their margin of support could change the outcome of the race vexes Democratic and Republican leaders alike. Before dropping his presidential bid this month and endorsing former President Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparked spoiler concerns on both sides of the aisle.
One of Iowa’s four congressional races was decided by a razor-thin margin in 2022. Republican Zach Nunn, who was challenging incumbent Democrat Cindy Axne, won by less than a percentage point. There was not a third-party candidate.
The challenges were filed against Libertarian nominees Nicholas Gluba in the 1st District, Marco Battaglia in the 3rd District and Charles Aldrich in the 4th District.
The Libertarian Party of Iowa reached major party status in the state in 2022, when its nominee for governor earned more than 2% of the general election vote.
Cutler said they would likely appeal the decision, arguing the challenges were about technical mistakes that were “embarrassing” but ultimately “substantially” compliant with Iowa law.
“The remedy for it is to correct the technical infraction, not to remove the candidates who were elected by the body of the Libertarian Party from the ballot,” she said.
Ballots will be certified by Pate’s office on Sep. 3.
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