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IOWA CITY Democrats and older Iowans would have to adjust their early voting habits the most if a bill that cleared the Iowa House requires absentee ballots to be in county auditors hands by the time polls close on Election Day.

Republicans would see an effect, too, legislators said. But they vote in person on Election Day with more frequency than Democrats or those registered for no party as well as Iowans aged 65 and older, according to an IowaWatch analysis of voting data in general elections over the past 20 years.

Regardless of who feels the impact, Republican and Democratic state legislators trying to amend Iowas absentee voter registration law agree that changes are critical because ballots are not being counted when they probably should be.

The reason is U.S. post offices are not putting time-stamped postmarks on many of the absentee ballots.

So we are throwing ballots out, and we dont want to do that, state Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, said.

Iowa law says absentee ballots may arrive after an election day if they bear a postmark of up to the day before the scheduled vote.

But a bill that passed the Iowa House 56-41 on March 11 would require that absentee ballots arrive at county auditors offices by the time polls close on the election day to be counted. An exception would be given to military personnel and their families and others working outside the country who apply for ballots and return them by mail in time to be counted.

A Senate bill says ballots clearly postmarked by the day before an election and received by the elections office by noon the following Monday should be counted, as well as any ballot received by 5 p.m. the day after the election.

A decision on whether to vote on the Senate bill or to take up the House bill was pending.

Danielson, chairman of the State Government Committee where the matter now rests said differences in what the House and Senate propose are not deal breakers. State Rep. Quentin Stanerson, R-Center Point, and floor manager of the bill passing the House, was equally optimistic.

More here:
Data: Democrats, older Iowans use absentee ballots most

The Democratic Party will have a primary race whether presumptive front-runner Hillary Clinton ultimately decides to enter the race or not, political observers and state Democrats said.

"I fully anticipate we're going to have a very robust primary," state Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley said. "It's going to happen. (A challenger to Clinton) will emerge. There will be an alternative, and I anticipate a very vibrant primary."

The talk of a primary challenge for Clinton comes as she continues to fend off controversy over her use of a private email account, as well as the decision by the Clinton Foundation to accept donations from individuals with ties to foreign governments, while she was secretary of state.

Last week, 27 New Hampshire Democrats, including state Sen. David Watters, D-Dover, penned an open letter asking Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren to enter the race to help ensure an exchange of ideas among Democrat candidates.

"It would help to have a real debate on our side," said Watters, who said his participation in the letter was not an endorsement for Warren. "I think the Democratic Party is hungry for a real debate."

Meanwhile, reports continue to circulate that Clinton's supporters have established a significant ground game for a campaign across the country. That includes New Hampshire, where former staffers for the successful 2014 reelection campaign of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., have been hired.

With Clinton still not saying much about her future either way, but still dominating the possible Democratic field in the eyes of most observers, some of the state's political observers and Democrats say a primary would be a healthy exercise with or without Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, former U.S. senator from New York and former first lady.

"I think (Democrats) would like to have the opportunity to debate the issues," said Dante Scala, political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.

In the pages of the New Hampshire Union Leader, Concord attorney and state Democratic supporter Jay Surdukowski wrote that he is a Democrat "Not Ready for Hillary. Not yet, anyway."

"I reject the view Democrats don't have choices," he wrote.

See the article here:
NH Democrats see need for a Clinton challenger

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