The filing deadline to run in Iowa’s general election ended at 5 pm today, and the Secretary of State’s Office has updated the list of candidates who submitted nominating papers and petitions with enough signatures. The following ten presidential tickets will appear on Iowa ballots:
| 2016 presidential candidates in Iowa | |
| Names | Party affiliation |
|---|---|
| Donald J. Trump/Michael R. Pence | Republican |
| Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | Democratic |
| Darrell L. Castle/Scott N. Bradley | Constitution Party |
| Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | Iowa Green Party |
| Dan R. Vacek/Mark G. Elworth | Legal Marijuana Now |
| Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | Libertarian |
| Lynn Kahn/Jay Stolba | New Independent Party |
| Gloria La Riva/Dennis J. Banks | Party for Socialism and Liberation |
| Rocky Roque De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg | Nominated By Petition |
| Evan McMullin/Nathan Johnson | Nominated By Petition |
The last three public polls in Iowa put Johnson at 12 percent, 6 percent, and 12 percent in a four-way race against Clinton, Trump, and Stein. Although those surveys probably overstate Johnson’s support, the unusual unpopularity of this year’s major-party nominees gives the Libertarian a good chance to improve on all of his party’s previous showings in Iowa. Click here to view results for Libertarian presidential candidates going back to 1976. At a Polk County Democratic event last night, a number of activists were concerned that Johnson’s name was not yet on the Secretary of State’s candidate list, because Johnson is presumed to draw more support from traditionally Republican-leaning voters. Libertarian activists cut it close by submitting nominating papers today, but all’s well that ends well.
Others who filed on the last possible day included Evan McMullin, a former CIA officer who launched his presidential campaign only last week, and the candidates for the New Independent Party and Legal Marijuana Now, which seem like decent names for picking up protest votes.
Five candidates qualified to run for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat: Republican Charles E. Grassley, Democrat Patty Judge, Libertarian Charles Aldrich, Jim Hennager of the New Independent Party, and Michael Luick-Thrams, “Nominated By Petition.”
Only major-party candidates will appear on the ballot in three of Iowa’s four Congressional districts: Republican Rod Blum and Democrat Monica Vernon in IA-01, Republican Christopher Peters and Democrat Dave Loebsack in IA-02, Republican Steve King and Democrat Kim Weaver in IA-04.
The field will be more crowded in IA-03, with Republican David Young, Democrat Jim Mowrer, Libertarian Bryan Jack Holder, and two candidates to be listed as “Nominated By Petition”: Claudia Addy and Joe Grandanette.