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Iowa state legislative Republican primaries, 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.
| 2018 Iowa State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | June 5, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Republican primary elections for the seats in the Iowa State Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives were on June 5, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in Iowa, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 16, 2018. In the state Senate, 25 of 50 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 100 seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Three Republican state Senate incumbents did not seek re-election.
- Rick Bertrand (District 7)
- Annette Sweeney (District 25)
- Mark Chelgren (District 41)
Thirteen Republican state House incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:
- Charles Holz (District 5)
- Ralph Watts (District 19)
- Clel Baudler (District 20)
- Greg Heartsill (District 28)
- Chris Hagenow (District 43)
- Rob Taylor (District 44)
- Chip Baltimore (District 47)
- Kristi Hager (District 56)
- Ken Rizer[1] (District 68)
- Dawn Pettengill (District 75)
- Guy Vander Linden (District 79)
- Larry Sheets (District 80)
- David Heaton (District 84)
Competitiveness
There were 22 open seats in 2018, which was higher than the 14 open seats in 2016 and the 15 open seats in 2014. The 14 contested Democratic primaries was up from 13 in 2016. The 17 contested Republican primaries was up from 15 in 2016 and 2014. The 256 candidates running was up from 231 in 2016 and 212 in 2014.
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 125 | 22 | 256 | 14 | 17 | 12.4% | 4 | 3.9% |
| 2016 | 125 | 14 | 231 | 13 | 15 | 11.2% | 9 | 8.1% |
| 2014 | 125 | 15 | 212 | 14 | 15 | 11.6% | 8 | 7.3% |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Iowa House of Representatives and the Iowa State Senate as of July 2018:
Iowa House of Representatives
| Party | As of July 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 41 | |
| Republican Party | 58 | |
| Vacancies | 1 | |
| Total | 100 | |
Iowa State Senate
| Party | As of July 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | |
| Independent | 1 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | |
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 Idaho, parties decide who may vote in their primaries. As of July 2025, the Democratic Party allows unaffiliated voters to vote in its primary, while the Republican Party only allows voters registered with its party to vote in its primary. Unaffiliated voters can choose to affiliate with a party on Election Day.[2][3][4]
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.[5][6]
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.[7][8]
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).[9] 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.[10]
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.[11] 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.[12] 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."[12][13]
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:[8]
- 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:[8]
- 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.[12]
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.[14]
See also
- Iowa state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Iowa State Senate elections, 2018
- Iowa State Legislature
- Iowa elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Rizer resigned June 1, 2018
- ↑ Idaho Secretary of State's Office, "Primary Elections in Idaho," accessed July 2, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 2, 2024
- ↑ ACLU Idaho, "2024 Your Rights as an Idaho Voter," accessed July 2, 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
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 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."
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 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
