Schmett v. State Objections Panel
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In this case involving Democrat Abby Finkenauer's candidacy for U.S. Senate the Supreme Court sustained the State Objections Panel's decision to reject objections as to the signatures of three electors who had provided either no date or a clearly incorrect date, holding that there was no error.
If the objectors' position as to the signatures in this case had been sustained, Finkenauer would have failed to meet the requirements to be placed on the June 7, 2022 Democratic primary ballot. The Panel allowed Finkenauer's nomination petition. The district court reversed, holding that the three undated or improperly dated signatures should not have been counted. At issue was Iowa Code 43.15(2), which makes the date a legal requirement when an eligible elector signs a nomination petition, and recent legislation passed last year, Iowa Code 43.24(2)(a), which did not include missing or incorrect dates as one of the grounds for sustaining an objection to a petition. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the recent legislation prevailed.
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