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Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2020
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| 2020 Iowa House Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | June 2, 2020 |
| Past Election Results |
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| 2020 Elections | |
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Republicans gained seats in the 2020 Iowa House elections, expanding their existing majority but falling short of a supermajority. All 100 seats were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 53-47 majority. Republicans gained a net six seats, expanding their majority to 59-41. A 67-seat majority is required to override a gubernatorial veto.
Ballotpedia identified 21 of the races as battlegrounds.
Democrats held seven battleground districts (14, 38, 39, 42, 44, 60, and 81), and the incumbent was seeking re-election in every District but 14.
Republicans held 14 battleground districts (9, 16, 37, 47, 55, 57, 67, 82, 88, 91, 92, 94, 95, 97) and the incumbent was seeking re-election in every District but 16, 67, 91, and 95.
Heading into the election, Iowa had been under a Republican trifecta since the party took the state Senate in the 2016 elections. Democrats needed to flip four seats in the state House to return the state to divided government. Heading into the 2020 elections, 15 states were Democratic trifectas, 21 states were Republican trifectas, and 14 were under divided government.
The Iowa House of Representatives was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. All 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives were up for election in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
Iowa's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In Iowa, the state legislature is responsible for drafting both congressional and state legislative district plans. District plans are subject to gubernatorial veto.
Heading into the 2020 general election, Republicans controlled 59 out of 99 state legislative chambers in the U.S., while Democrats controlled 39 chambers. The Alaska House was the sole chamber in which there was a power-sharing agreement between the parties. Republicans also had trifectas in 21 states. A party has a trifecta when it controls the governorship and majorities in both state legislative chambers.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Iowa modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: Absentee ballot application forms were sent to all registered voters in the general election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
| Iowa House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 47 | 41 | |
| Republican Party | 53 | 59 | |
| Total | 100 | 100 | |
Districts
- See also: Iowa state legislative districts
Use the interactive map below to find your district.
Candidates
General candidates
The candidate list below is based on candidate filing lists provided by the Iowa Secretary of State on March 13, 2020.[1]
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate ConnectionPrimary candidates
The candidate list below is based on candidate filing lists provided by the Iowa Secretary of State on March 13, 2020.[2]
Iowa House of Representatives primary election |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 1 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 2 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 3 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 4 |
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| District 5 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 6 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 7 |
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| District 8 |
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| District 9 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 10 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 11 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 13 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 14 |
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| District 15 |
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| District 17 |
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| District 20 |
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| District 21 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 22 |
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| District 23 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 24 |
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| District 25 |
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| District 26 |
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| District 27 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 28 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 29 |
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| District 30 |
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| District 31 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 32 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 33 |
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| District 34 |
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| District 35 |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 36 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 37 |
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| District 38 |
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| District 39 |
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| District 40 |
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| District 41 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 42 |
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| District 43 |
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| District 44 |
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| District 45 |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 46 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 47 |
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| District 48 |
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| District 49 |
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| District 50 |
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| District 51 |
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| District 52 |
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| District 53 |
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| District 54 |
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| District 55 |
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| District 56 |
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| District 57 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 58 |
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| District 59 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 60 |
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| District 61 |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 62 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 63 |
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| District 64 |
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Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 65 |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 66 |
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| District 67 |
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| District 68 |
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| District 69 |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 70 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 71 |
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| District 72 |
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| District 73 |
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| District 74 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 75 |
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| District 76 |
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| District 77 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 78 |
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| District 79 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 80 |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| District 81 |
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| District 82 |
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| District 83 |
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| District 84 |
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| District 85 |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 86 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 87 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 88 |
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| District 89 |
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| District 90 |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| District 99 |
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| District 100 |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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2020 battleground chamber
The Iowa State House was among 24 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2020 cycle. Click here for more information on state legislative battlegrounds.
What was at stake?
- Democrats needed to gain four seats to take control of the chamber in 2020.
- If Democrats had flipped or split control of the chamber, they would have broken the Republican trifecta. If Republicans had maintained their majorities in the state House and Senate, they would have preserved their trifecta.
Why was it a battleground?
- Seats needed to flip: Democrats needed to flip four of the 100 seats up (4% of the chamber) in order to win a majority.
- Seats decided by 10% or less in 2018: In the 2018 elections, there were 20 races (20% of the chamber) decided by a margin of 10% or smaller.
- 2018 battleground chamber: The Iowa House of Representatives was a battleground chamber in 2018. That year, Democrats gained seven seats from Republicans while Republicans gained two seats from Democrats. Read more about the 2018 elections here.
- More flips in 2018 than needed to change control in 2020: More seats flipped in the 2018 election (nine) than needed to flip to change control of the chamber in 2020 (four).
- Race ratings: The Cook Political Report rated the Iowa House of Representatives a leans Republican chamber in 2020, meaning that both parties had a good chance at winning control of the chamber but that Republicans were slightly favored to retain control.[3]
Battleground races
| Iowa State House Battleground races |
|---|
| Republican seats |
| District 9
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| District 16
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| District 37
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| District 47
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| District 55
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| District 57
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| District 67
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| District 82
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| District 88
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| District 91
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| District 92
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| District 94
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| District 95
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| District 97
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| Democratic seats |
| District 14
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| District 38
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| District 39
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| District 42
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| District 44
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| District 60
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| District 81
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Heading into the election, Ballotpedia identified twenty-one battleground races in the Iowa House of Representatives 2020 elections, fourteen of which were Republican-held seats and seven of which were Democratic-held seats. Based on analysis of these districts' electoral histories, these races had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could possibly have led to shifts in a chamber's partisan balance.
To determine state legislative battleground races in 2020, Ballotpedia looked for races that fit one or more of the four factors listed below:
- In the last state legislative election, the winner received less than 55% of the vote.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the incumbent is not on the ballot this year.
- The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and that presidential candidate won the district by a margin of 20 percentage points or more.
District 9
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Ann Meyer (R) was first elected in in 2019, where she received 51.7 percent of the vote and defeated her Democratic challenger by a margin of 3.5 percentage points. District 9 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 9 by a margin of 15.96 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 9.61 percentage points. |
District 14
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Timothy Kacena (D) was first elected in in 2017, where he received 53.9 percent of the vote and defeated his Republican challenger by a margin of 3.5 percentage points. Kacena did not file to run for re-election in 2020. District 14 was one of 35 Iowa House of Representative districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 14 by a margin of .42 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 19.99 percentage points. |
District 16
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Mary Ann Hanusa (R) was first elected in in 2011, where she received 55.29 percent of the vote and defeated her Democratic challenger by a margin of 10.59 percentage points. In 2018, Hanusa received 49.5 percent of the vote and defeated her Democratic challenger by a margin of 1.1 percentage points. She did not file to run for re-election in 2020. District 16 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 16 by a margin of 9.92 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 5.55 percentage points. |
District 37
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. John Landon (R) was first elected in in 2013, where she received 75.4 percent of the vote and defeated his independent challenger by a margin of 50.8 percentage points. In 2018, Landon received 52.0 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 4.1 percentage points. District 37 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 37 by a margin of 8.4 percentage points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 12.05 percentage points. |
District 38
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018 and the presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less. Heather Matson (D) was first elected in in 2018, where he received 51.5 percent of the vote and defeated her Republican challenger by a margin of 3.1 percentage points. District 38 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 38 by a margin of 6.99 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of .12 percentage points. |
District 39
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018 and the presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less. Karin Derry (D) was first elected in in 2018, where he received 49.8 percent of the vote and defeated her Republican challenger by a margin of 1.5 percentage points. District 39 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 39 by a margin of 5.06 percentage points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 12.74 percentage points. |
District 42
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Kristin Sunde (D) was first elected in 2018, where he received 53.8 percent of the vote and defeated her Republican challenger by a margin of 7.7 percentage points. District 42 was one of 35 Iowa House of Representative districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 42 by a margin of 8.96 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 1.02 percentage points. |
District 44
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Kenan Judge (D) was first elected in 2018, where he received 51.7 percent of the vote and defeated his Republican challenger by a margin of 5.6 percentage points. District 44 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 44 by a margin of 2.79 percentage points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 14.08 percentage points. |
District 47
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
|
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Phil Thompson (R) was first elected in in 2018, where he received 51.7 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 6.6 percentage points. District 47 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 37 by a margin of 16.65 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 5.82 percentage points. |
District 55
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Michael Bergan (R) was first elected in in 2016, where he received 57.18 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 14.36 percentage points. In 2018, Bergan received 50 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of .01 percentage points. District 55 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 55 by a margin of 7.11 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 11.75 percentage points. |
District 57
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Shannon Lundgren (R) was first elected in in 2016. In 2018, she received 54.9 percent of the vote and defeated her Democratic challenger by a margin of 12.8 percentage points. District 57 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 57 by a margin of 20.24 percentage points. Mitt Romney (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of .98 percentage points. |
District 60
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Dave Williams (D) was first elected in 2018, where he received 50.7 percent of the vote and defeated his Republican challenger by a margin of 1.5 percentage points. District 60 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 60 by a margin of 3.56 percentage points. Barack Obama (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 1.24 percentage points. |
District 67
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Ashley Hinson (R) was first elected in 2016. In 2018, she received 52 percent of the vote and defeated her Democratic challenger by a margin of 4 percentage points. Hinson did not file to run for re-election in 2020. District 67 was one of 35 Iowa House of Representative districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 67 by a margin of 1.48 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 1.24 percentage points. |
District 81
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Democratic Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Dave Williams (D) was first elected in 2002. In 2018, she received 54.4 percent of the vote and defeated her Republican challenger by a margin of 8.9 percentage points. District 81 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 81 by a margin of 16.37 percentage points. Barack Obama (R) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 14.71 percentage points. |
District 82
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
|
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Jeff Shipley (R) was first elected in 2018, where he received 50.1 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of .3 percentage points. District 82 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 82 by a margin of 21.22 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 1.84 percentage points. |
District 88
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. David Kerr (R) was first elected in 2016. In 2018, he received 54.8 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 11.5 percentage points. District 88 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 82 by a margin of 22.82 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 3.02 percentage points. |
District 91
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Gary Carlson (R) was first elected in 2014. In 2018, he received 53.7 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 7.5 percentage points. Carlson did not file to run for re-election in 2020. District 91 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 91 by a margin of 6.1 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 16.64 percentage points. |
District 92
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
|
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Ross C. Paustian (R) was first elected in 2014. In 2018, he received 52.5 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 5.1 percentage points. District 92 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 92 by a margin of 9.36 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 8.94 percentage points. |
District 94
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
|
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Ross C. Paustian (R) was first elected in 2016. In 2018, he received 54.9 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 9.8 percentage points. District 92 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 94 by a margin of 6.19 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 14.41 percentage points. |
District 95
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Louis Zumbach (R) was first elected in 2016. In 2018, he received 53.9 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 7.9 percentage points. Zumbach did not file to run for re-election in 2020. District 95 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 94 by a margin of 9.73 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 5.32 percentage points. |
District 97
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
| The Republican Party |
Who were the candidates running?
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What made this a battleground race?
| This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Norlin Mommsen (R) was first elected in 2014. In 2018, he received 53.1 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 8.8 percentage points. District 97 was one of 65 Iowa House of Representative districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 94 by a margin of 19.32 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 2.68 percentage points. |
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in the general election
Six incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election. Those incumbents were:
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
One incumbent, Vicki Lensing (D), lost in the June 2 primaries. She was the first House incumbent to be defeated in a primary since 2016.
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Vicki Lensing | |
House District 85 |
Retiring incumbents
There were ten open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[4] One incumbent withdrew following the primary election. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Huseman |  Republican |
House District 3 |
| Tedd Gassman | Republican |
House District 7 |
| Timothy Kacena |  Democratic |
House District 14 |
| Mary Ann Hanusa | Republican |
House District 16 |
| Chris Hagenow | Republican |
House District 19 |
| Linda Upmeyer | Republican |
House District 54 |
| Bruce Bearinger[5] | Democratic |
House District 64 |
| Ashley Hinson | Republican |
House District 67 |
| Mark Smith | Democratic |
House District 71 |
| Gary Carlson | Republican |
House District 91 |
| Louis Zumbach | Republican |
House District 95 |
The eleven seats left open in 2020 represented the least within the last decade, tied with 2014. The lowest number of open seats was in 2006 when nine Representatives declined to seek re-election. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.
| Open Seats in Iowa House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 100 | 11 (11 percent) | 89 (89 percent) |
| 2018 | 100 | 17 (17 percent) | 83 (83 percent) |
| 2016 | 100 | 13 (13 percent) | 87 (87 percent) |
| 2014 | 100 | 11 (11 percent) | 89 (89 percent) |
| 2012 | 100 | 17 (17 percent) | 83 (83 percent) |
| 2010 | 100 | 14 (14 percent) | 86 (86 percent) |
Battleground races map
Redistricting in Iowa
- See also: Redistricting in Iowa
The Legislative Services Agency prepares redistricting plans for approval by the Iowa State Legislature. According to All About Redistricting, the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) consists of "civil servants committed to nonpartisanship and otherwise charged with tasks like legal and fiscal analysis of state legislation and state government oversight." The LSA is assisted by a commission, which consists of the following members:[6]
- one member selected by the majority leader of the Iowa State Senate
- one member selected by the majority leader of the Iowa House of Representatives
- one member selected by the minority leader of the Iowa State Senate
- one member selected by the minority leader of the Iowa House of Representatives
- one member selected by the first four members
The members of this commission cannot "hold partisan public office or an office in a political party, and none may be a relative or employee of a federal or state legislator (or the legislature as a whole)."[6]
Working with this commission, the LSA drafts congressional and state legislative district lines. The maps are presented as a single bill to the state legislature, which may approve or reject the bill without altering it (the legislature can provide feedback). If the legislature rejects the plan, the LSA must draft a second proposal. If the legislature rejects the second proposal, the LSA must draft a third, and final, set of maps. If the legislature rejects this plan, it may then approve its own maps. Since the implementation of this process in 1980, the state legislature has never chosen not to approve an LSA proposal. Redistricting plans are also subject to gubernatorial veto. In addition, the legislature may repeal or revise the maps at any time, though it has never done so.[6]
State law establishes the following criteria for both congressional and state legislative districts:[6]
- Districts must be "convenient and contiguous."
- Districts must "preserve the integrity of political subdivisions like counties and cities."
- Districts must "to the extent consistent with other requirements, [be] reasonably compact–defined in terms of regular polygons, comparisons of length and width, and overall boundary perimeter."
In addition, state House districts are required to be contained within state Senate districts "where possible, and where not in conflict with the criteria above." It is explicit in state law that district lines cannot be drawn "to favor a political party, incumbent, or other person or group."[6]
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title II of the Iowa Code
There are four ways in which a candidate can gain access to the general election ballot: by primary election, by political party convention, by Non-party Political Organization (NPPO) convention, or by petition. These are detailed below.
Iowa allows any registered voter to challenge a candidate's nominating petition, as long as the challenge is made in writing and within 74 days of the corresponding election.[7][8]
By primary election
A candidate seeking the nomination of a state-recognized political party in a primary election must be a member of that party. Non-party Political Organizations (NPPOs) are not permitted to participate in primary elections. A primary election candidate must file an affidavit of candidacy and nomination petition with the Iowa Secretary of State during the primary election filing period, which begins 99 days before the primary and ends at 5 p.m. on the 81st day before the primary. The affidavit of candidacy and the nomination petition must be filed simultaneously.[9][10]
For the number of signatures required for nomination petitions, see the table below.[9][11][12]
| Formulas for determining signature requirements for political party candidates in primary elections | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Number of signatures needed | |
| Governor or U.S. Senator | 3,500 signatures, including at least 100 from 19 different counties.[9][12] | |
| State executive office (other than governor and lieutenant governor) | 2,500 signatures, including at least 77 from 18 different counties.[12] | |
| United States Representative | 1,726 signatures, including at least 47 from half of the counties in the district.[9][12] | |
| State Senator | 100 signatures from the district.[9][12] | |
| State Representative | 50 signatures from the district.[9][12] | |
By political party convention
If a political party fails to nominate a candidate at the primary election, the party may hold a convention after the primary to nominate a candidate. That candidate must then file a political party convention certificate and an affidavit of candidacy. The deadline to file the convention certificate and affidavit of candidacy is the same as the general election filing deadline. However, a political party convention candidate may file his or her documents before the filing period begins for general election candidates.[13]
By Non-party Political Organization (NPPO) convention
Non-party Political Organizations (NPPOs) are permitted to hold conventions to nominate their candidates. However, in order to qualify their nominations, NPPOs must meet the following requirements:[13][14][15]
- To nominate a candidate to a state executive office or the United States Senate, 500 eligible electors, meaning people who meet all the requirements to register to vote, must attend the convention, and 25 counties must be represented by at least one eligible elector each.
- To nominate a candidate to the United States House of Representatives, 200 eligible electors who are residents of the congressional district the candidate seeks to represent must attend, including one eligible elector from at least half of the counties in the district.
- To nominate a candidate to the Iowa State Senate, 50 eligible electors who are residents of the senatorial district must attend, including one eligible elector from one-half of the precincts in the senatorial district.
- To nominate a candidate to the Iowa House of Representatives, 25 eligible electors who are residents of the representative district must attend, including one eligible elector from one-half of the precincts in the representative district.
- A convention may be held at any time as long as it is before the general election filing deadline.[16]
- After the convention, the NPPO must provide a list of those who attended the convention, including their addresses, to the Iowa Secretary of State, along with a convention certificate and an affidavit of candidacy for the candidate nominated. These documents must be filed together during the general election filing period, which begins 99 days before the general election and ends at 5 p.m. 81 days before the general election.[16][13][8]
By petition
A candidate who is not affiliated with any political party or NPPO can be nominated by petition. A NPPO candidate can gain ballot access in this manner if the NPPO cannot meet the convention attendance requirements described above. A petition candidates must file an affidavit of candidacy and nomination petition with the Iowa Secretary of State. These forms must be filed together by 5 p.m. 81 days before the general election.[8][14]
The table below details the signature requirements necessary for obtaining ballot access by petition.
| Formulas for determining signature requirements for NPPO candidates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Number of signatures needed | |
| United States Senator or governor | 3,500 eligible electors, including at least 100 from at least 19 counties[13][14] | |
| Otherwise statewide executive offices | 2,500 eligible electors, including at least 77 from at least 18 counties[13][14] | |
| United States Representative | 1,726 eligible electors who are residents of the congressional district, including at least 47 eligible electors each from at least one-half of the counties in the congressional district[13][14] | |
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for Iowa House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Iowa House of Representatives | All candidates | 50 | N/A | 3/13/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
The Iowa Constitution states, "No person shall be a member of the house of representatives who shall not have attained the age of twenty-one years, be a citizen of the United States, and shall have been an inhabitant of this state one year next preceding his election, and at the time of his election shall have had an actual residence of sixty days in the county, or district he may have been chosen to represent."[17]
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[18] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $25,000/year | $178/day for legislators who live outside of Polk County. $133.50/day for legislators who live within Polk County. |
When sworn in
2020 battleground chamber
The Iowa House of Representatives was among 24 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2020 cycle. Click here for more information on state legislative battlegrounds.
What was at stake?
- Democrats needed to gain four seats to take control of the chamber in 2020.
- If Democrats had flipped or split control of the chamber, they would have broken the Republican trifecta. If Republicans had maintained their majorities in the state House and Senate, they would have preserved their trifecta.
Why was it a battleground?
- Seats needed to flip: Democrats needed to flip four of the 100 seats up (4% of the chamber) in order to win a majority.
- Seats decided by 10% or less in 2018: In the 2018 elections, there were 20 races (20% of the chamber) decided by a margin of 10% or smaller.
- 2018 battleground chamber: The Iowa House of Representatives was a battleground chamber in 2018. That year, Democrats gained seven seats from Republicans while Republicans gained two seats from Democrats. Read more about the 2018 elections here.
- More flips in 2018 than needed to change control in 2020: More seats flipped in the 2018 election (nine) than needed to flip to change control of the chamber in 2020 (four).
- Race ratings: The Cook Political Report rated the Iowa House of Representatives a leans Republican chamber in 2020, meaning that both parties had a good chance at winning control of the chamber but that Republicans were slightly favored to retain control.[19]
Iowa political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Iowa Party Control: 1992-2025
Four years of Democratic trifectas • Eleven years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in Iowa
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, Iowa, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 41.7% | 653,669 | 0 | |
| Republican |  Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
51.1% | 800,983 | 6 | |
| Constitution | Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley | 0.3% | 5,335 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 0.7% | 11,479 | 0 | |
| Legal Marijuana Now | Dan R. Vacek/Mark G. Elworth Jr. | 0.1% | 2,246 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 3.8% | 59,186 | 0 | |
| New Independent | Lynn Sandra Kahn/Jay Stolba | 0.1% | 2,247 | 0 | |
| Socialism and Liberation | Gloria Estela La Riva/Dennis J. Banks | 0% | 323 | 0 | |
| Nominated by petition | Rocky De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg | 0% | 451 | 0 | |
| Nominated by petition | Evan McMullin/Nathan Johnson | 0.8% | 12,366 | 0 | |
| - | Write-in votes | 1.1% | 17,746 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 1,566,031 | 6 | |||
| Election results via: Iowa Secretary of State | |||||
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.[20]
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.[21][14]
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.[22][23]
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).[24] 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.[25]
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.[26] 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.[27] 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."[27][28]
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:[23]
- 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:[23]
- 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.[27]
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.[29]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Candidate List November 3, 2020 General Election," accessed March 16, 2020
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Candidate List June 2, 2020 Primary Election," accessed March 16, 2020
- ↑ The Cook Political Report, "July Update: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races," July 22, 2020
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Bruce Bearinger (D) filed for re-election but withdrew after the primary on June 2, 2020.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 All About Redistricting, "Iowa," accessed April 21, 2015
- ↑ Iowa Code, "Title II, Section 43.24," accessed February 28, 2025
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Iowa Code, "Title II, Section 44.4," accessed February 28, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Iowa Secretary of State, "Candidate’s Guide to the Primary Election 2024," June 4, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "iaprimarycandidateguide" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "iaprimarycandidateguide" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "iaprimarycandidateguide" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "iaprimarycandidateguide" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Iowa Code 2024, Section 43.11," accessed February 28, 2025
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namediacode4320 - ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Iowa Secretary of State, "Iowa Code 2024, Section 45.1," accessed February 28, 2025 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 The Iowa Legislature, "SF413," accessed February 28, 2025 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "sf413" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "sf413" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "sf413" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "sf413" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Iowa Code, "Title II, Section 44.1," accessed February 28, 2025
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Iowa Secretary of State Website, "Forming a Political Party in Iowa," accessed February 28, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Constitution
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ The Cook Political Report, "July Update: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races," July 22, 2020
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State Website, "Voter Registration FAQ," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Find Your Polling Place," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed July 21, 2025
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 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."
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 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
