(Radio Iowa) — Delegates to this weekend’s state conventions for Iowa’s two major political parties participated remotely, rather than in person. Iowa Republican Party delegates are casting paper ballots to conduct party business, with results to be announced later in the month. The Iowa Democratic Party used online voting and paper ballots — and announced its final slate of national convention delegates Saturday. Iowa Democratic Party chairman Mark Smith says having hundreds gather in person for a state convention just wasn’t feasible in a pandemic.

“Most people expect the Iowa Democratic Party to follow best practices and that’s what we’ve attempted to do all the way through this process,” Smith said. “I’m very pleased with the amount of participation. We had quorums in all 99 counties.” State conventions serve as the kick-off for the General Election campaign, giving activists a chance to hear directly from their party’s candidates and officeholders. Governor Kim Reynolds recorded a video message for her fellow Republicans.

“We have reasons to be optimistic about our chances, but there’s too much at stake to take anything for granted,” she said. “This election will be one of the closest in our nation’s history.” Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann’s recorded message challenged Republicans to do MORE than just VOTE for U.S. Senator Joni Ernst in November. “I’m just going to be real straightforward: get out a check book, get on the streets and door knock,” Kaufmann said. “…If you really believe that GOP leadership is important…it’s got to be more than just saying: ‘I love Joni.'”

The Des Moines Register Iowa Poll released Saturday evening shows Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield leading Ernst by three points, 46 to 43 percent. Greenfield’s campaign called that a good sign of momentum after her June 2nd primary win. The Iowa Democratic Party’s chairman says fundraising for the party is going well, too. “I have to tell you as I’ve been calling all across our state there is a fair amount of enthusiasm among the Democrats,” Smith says, “and we are fired up to turn this state blue come November.”

Iowa Democrats are still developing their 2020 party platform. Republicans will report results of their state convention business in late June.

(Radio Iowa) — The Republican-led Iowa House has voted to establish a 24-hour waiting period for abortions performed in the state. Two years ago, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled a 72-hour waiting period was unconstitutional. During debate late Saturday night, Representative Shannon Lundgren of Peosta made it clear Republicans aim for this new proposal to reverse that.

“Maybe this will provide an opportunity for the courts to rectify the terrible situation that they’ve created here in our state,” Lundgren said. The chief justice who wrote in the 2018 opinion that Iowa women had a right to an abortion under the Iowa Constitution died in November. And Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has now appointed a majority of the justices in the Iowa Supreme Court. That raises the possibility the court might overturn the previous ruling that has essentially blocked all legislative attempts to restrict access to abortion.

Representative Sandy Salmon, a Republican from Janesville, says 17 other states have 24 hour waiting periods for an abortion. “Waiting periods help ensure that decisions are made not under duress and under undue influences,” Salmon said. The proposal requires a doctor to get written certification from a woman that she is eligible to obtain an abortion. It passed with the support of 52 House Republicans and one Democrat. Other Democrats in the House opposed the move.

Representative Vicki Lensing, a Democrat from Iowa City, says legislators shouldn’t second guess the medical decisions women make. “It is presumptuous, disrespectful and in my opinion insulting,” Lensing said. Representative Heather Matson, a Democrat from Ankeny, says requiring two medical appointments within 24 hours creates hardships for poor women and for women from rural areas who have to travel a greater distance.

“The intent of a 24 hour ban is the same as a 72 hour ban…Make it harder for a woman to get the care she needs and she just won’t get it,” Matson said. The bill now goes to the Senate for a vote. Lawmakers started this Saturday with plans to conclude the 2020 legislative session this weekend.

Around midnight, the House adjourned with plans to reconvene at 10 am. Sunday morning. Senators were still debating and voting on bills past midnight.

Police in Red Oak arrested a woman Saturday, who allegedly placed items from the Dollar General Store into her purse, without intending to pay for them. When confronted with the crime, 64-year old Sheryl Lynne Franzen, of Red Oak, tried to put the items back onto the shelves. She was taken into custody at around 1:50-p.m., for Theft in the 5th Degree (for items valued at under $200), and held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man acquitted of killing his mother is suing the state, its public safety department and a criminal investigator. The Des Moines Register reports that 47-year-old Jason Carter claims in the petition filed Thursday in Marion County that a state investigator spread false information about him while handling the June 2015 death of 68-year-old Shirley Carter to turn his family against him. He also alleges that the investigator ignored evidence clearing his name. A spokeswoman with the public safety department declined to comment Friday, citing ongoing litigation.