(NewsNation) — “Cheap, petty and undemocratic” — that’s how NewsNation host Dan Abrams describes what he considers an effort to sidestep the electoral process. His comments are in response to a leading candidate for the U.S. Senate in Iowa being knocked off the ballot over a clerical issue.
In Iowa, the law requires that a U.S. Senate candidate submit at least 100 signatures from 19 different counties. Candidates must turn in a total of 3,500 signatures.
With that in mind, former Representative Abby Finkenauer is making headlines in her fight to unseat Senator Chuck Grassley. Two rivals of Finkenauer objected to the signatures she turned in.
A state election panel ended up throwing out those challenges, deeming her eligible to run. But the panel’s decision was reversed by a judge who ruled that three of the signatures were ineligible due to leaving off zip codes. This ruling, which was handed down close to an election deadline, disqualified Finkenauer from running.
Finkenauer, of course, has slammed the judge’s decision.
“I think the candidate’s objection is a fair one,” Abrams said Tuesday. “Three minor errors out of 3,500 signatures is deemed sufficient to keep a candidate off the ballot? Now, granted, the candidate should have given themselves more margin for error, gathered many more signatures. The campaign seems to have definitely dropped the ball on that front. But to rule a major candidate ineligible on that basis seems like the all-time nit-pick, and in my view, wrong.”
Professor Derek Muller specializes in election law at the University of Iowa College of Law. He shared his insight about the issue Tuesday on “Dan Abrams Live.”
“Several of the counties where she [Finkenauer] submitted those signatures were at or near the minimum. So one county was 100 and the other was 101, now there was 103. So now we find ourselves in a position where minor defects that could disqualify just a few of those signatures are enough to keep her off the ballot,” Muller said.
Finkenauer appealed the judge’s decision with the Iowa Supreme Court. Muller expects it to be a close call.
“You have this sort of internal contradiction in the code. But a part where the legislature already says (there are) requirements, so it puts you in a very hard spot as a judge. On the one hand, it says ‘requirement put in by the legislature.’ On the other hand, it seems like a pretty minor defect to exclude a candidate from the ballot,” Muller commented.
Finkenauer’s appeal was filed in the Iowa Supreme Court on Monday. They are expected to render a judgment by the end of the week.