Democratic Party primaries in Iowa, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 27
- Early voting: Oct. 8 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[1][2]
Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[3] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[4][5][6]
Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[7]
This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Iowa on June 5, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Battleground primaries
Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.
- Iowa's 1st Congressional District election (June 5, 2018 Democratic primary)
- Iowa's 3rd Congressional District election (June 5, 2018 Democratic primary)
- Iowa gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (June 5 Democratic primary)
Federal elections
U.S. House
District 1
Democratic primary candidates
District 2
Democratic primary candidates- Dave Loebsack (Incumbent) ✔
District 3
Democratic primary candidatesDistrict 4
Democratic primary candidatesState elections
Iowa Party Control: 1992-2025
Four years of Democratic trifectas • Eleven years of Republican trifectas
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| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
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| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
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Gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial elections
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Attorney general election
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State party overview
- See also: Democratic Party of Iowa
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Iowa's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Democratic Party of Iowa revenue, 2011 to 2016[11][12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $1,527,206.58 | $1,617,654.42 | $3,144,861.00 |
| 2012 | $13,477,194.26 | $3,020,081.63 | $16,497,275.89 |
| 2013 | $1,346,272.30 | $1,396,724.19 | $2,742,996.49 |
| 2014 | $8,065,189.91 | $2,468,860.23 | $10,534,050.14 |
| 2015 | $1,667,809.43 | $948,383.00 | $2,616,192.43 |
| 2016 | $10,332,855.19 | $8,256,005.22 | $18,588,860.41 |
Iowa compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Iowa was one of eight states to hold a primary election on June 5, 2018.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Iowa, state law provides for a closed primary where every voter must be affiliated with a party in order to participate in its primary. However, a voter can change his or her political party affiliation on Election Day, creating what is effectively an open primary.[13]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In Iowa, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[14][15]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Iowa, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Iowa, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. A voter that is 17 years old may participate in a primary election if they will be 18 by the time of the next general election. The deadline to register is 15 days prior to the election but registration is permitted on Election Day with proof of identification.Iowans may register online or by completing a form and returning to their county auditor’s office by mail or in person.[16][17]
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Iowa does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Iowa has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Iowa allows same-day voter registration.
In order to register and vote on Election Day, voters must go to the correct polling place with proof of their identity and residence (i.e. a valid Iowa driver's license or another acceptable form of photo identification and proof of residency).[18] Click here to read more about voter identification requirements.
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Iowa, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
Iowa does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.[19]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[20] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Iowa secretary of state’s office maintains a page that allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Iowa requires voters to present identification while voting. Voters who do not have a valid ID can obtain an Iowa voter ID card for free by mail.[21] According to the secretary of state's website, " Iowa Department of Transportation’s Driver’s License or Non-Operator ID files are automatically mailed an Iowa Voter Identification Card."[21][22]
Voters can present the following forms of identification:
- Iowa voter ID card
- Iowa driver’s license
- Iowa non-operator ID
- U.S. passport
- U.S. military ID or veteran ID
- Tribal ID card/document
Voter who do not have one of the IDs listed above may have another voter attest to their identity, or they may provide a combination of other documents to verify their identity and residence. The following additional documents are acceptable proof of identity:[17]
- Out-of-state driver's license or non-driver ID card
- ID card issued by employer
- Student ID issued by Iowa high school or college
- Another photo ID that is current, valid, and contains an expiration date
The following documents are acceptable proof of residence:[17]
- A photo ID from one of the lists above that includes the voter's current address
- Residential lease
- Utility bill (including a cell phone bill)
- Bank statement
- Paycheck
- Government check or other government document
- Property tax statement
Voters without the required identification or another voter to attest to their identity will be offered a provisional ballot.[21]
Early voting
Iowa permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Iowa. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee. To vote absentee/by-mail, a request application must be received by the county auditor between 70 days before the election and 5 p.m. on the 15th day prior to the election. Voters must include one of the following: Iowa driver's license or non-operator ID number, voter ID/verification number, or the four-digit PIN from their voter ID card. Returned absentee ballots must be received by the time polls close on Election Day in order to be counted.[23]
See also
| Federal primaries in Iowa | State primaries in Iowa | Iowa state party apparatus | Iowa voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
- ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
- ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Democrat Rich Leopold drops out of Iowa governor's race," June 7, 2017
- ↑ Bleeding Heartland, "IA-Gov: Jon Neiderbach Officially Launches Campaign," February 9, 2017
- ↑ Des Moines Register, "Democrat Jon Neiderbach quits bid for Iowa governor," March 14, 2018
- ↑ Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board, "IECDB State/Local Campaign Disclosure Reports," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Republican Party of Iowa and its Eisenhower Club and Iowa Democratic Party)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Republican Party of Iowa and Iowa Democratic Party)
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State Website, "Voter Registration FAQ," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Find Your Polling Place," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ The Iowa Legislature, "I.C.A. § 49.74," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Iowa Secretary of State, "Election Day Registration," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Election Day Registration," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "State of Iowa Official Voter Registration Form," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Iowa Secretary of State, "Voter ID FAQ," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Iowa Voter Identification Requirements," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting," accessed July 21, 2025
