On August 28, 2024, the Iowa State Objections Panel decided to remove Libertarian congressional candidates from the November ballot. The panel, consisting of Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, Attorney General Brenna Bird, and Auditor Rob Sand, voted 2-1 to uphold objections against the candidates. This decision means Nicholas Gluba (1st District), Marco Battaglia (3rd District), and Charles Aldrich (4th District) will not be on the ballot.
The Libertarian Party can appeal this decision in district court by September 3. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the party plans to campaign as write-in candidates.
The objections were filed by Republican voters who argued that the Libertarian Party did not follow state laws for county conventions. They claimed the conventions were held on the same day as precinct caucuses, which according to the law, should not happen.
Libertarian Party Chair Jules Cutler admitted there were procedural errors but stated that the party’s process was compliant with the law. She described the situation as a learning experience for the party.
Auditor Rob Sand disagreed with the objections, arguing that the challengers, being Republicans, should not have standing and that the objections were not based on valid grounds. Sand filed a dissenting opinion, emphasizing the importance of allowing all candidates to be on the ballot and supporting voter choice.
Secretary of State Paul Pate defended the decision, stating that election laws must be enforced consistently. He acknowledged the passion of the candidates and parties but emphasized the importance of following the rules.
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