Don’t make local elections partisan in Iowa

Republicans who control the Iowa Legislature are once again trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist using misguided legislation.

This time, a bill sponsored by House Education Committee Chair Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, would require candidates for school boards and city councils to appear on ballots with party labels. An additional primary election would be needed to select party nominees. These offices are currently chosen in non-partisan elections.

This is an exceedingly bad idea. The bill, House Study Bill 633, has cleared a subcommittee but should scrapped before it moves any further through the legislative process.

Its backers point to the fact that partisanship has already seeped into non-partisan local races. They point to last fall’s school board elections, when outside political groups such as Moms for Liberty, the Family Leader and One Iowa put money and resources into several races.

Also, bill supporters claim it would be a real timesaver.

“I don’t have the time to sit down with every school board candidate that’s going to be in charge of our district,” said Andy Conlin, a lobbyist for the Opportunity Solutions Project, a Florida-based group that has previously pushed for limits in Iowa on unemployment benefits and food assistance. It’s the only group registered in favor of the bill.

“This is a marker, this is a signal to low-information voters. Hey, generally speaking, this is what they generally believe in.” Cobb said.

So simply picking a party candidate without getting to know what they stand for makes for better voting? It’s an absurd premise. And it’s an approach to elections that has made our partisan elections into team sports where loyalty is tied to a label instead of actual policy decisions.

Does anyone believe that more partisanship will improve local government? Where politics intruded during last fall’s election, other important issues not addressed by battling factions fell by the wayside.

Cedar Rapids, a generally Democratic-leaning city, has chosen a string of Republican mayors who promised to be nonpartisan. That pledge was key to their victories as voters tire of red-blue warfare.

Backers of this bill want more partisan elections because sharp partisanship is what they’re selling. No doubt, in increasingly red Iowa, Republicans believe party labels will lead to GOP victories while ginning up fundraising in off years. These are not good reasons to throw out non-partisan local elections.

Most important local issues, such as street repairs, public safety and balancing budgets don’t fit the partisan mold. Adding partisanship to the mix makes little sense, and will, no doubt, deepen divisions, complicate decisions and encourage gridlock.

Next week is the first legislative funnel deadline. This bill should die at the deadline.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com