Government of Iowa facts for kids
Law and government
State
As of 2018[update], the 43rd and current Governor of Iowa is Kim Reynolds (R). Other statewide elected officials are:
- Adam Gregg (R), Lieutenant Governor
- Paul Pate (R), Secretary of State
- Rob Sand (D), Auditor of State
- Roby Smith (R), Treasurer of State
- Mike Naig (R), Secretary of Agriculture
- Brenna Bird (R), Attorney General
The Code of Iowa contains Iowa's statutory laws. It is periodically updated by the Iowa Legislative Service Bureau, with a new edition published in odd-numbered years and a supplement published in even-numbered years.
Iowa is an alcohol monopoly or alcoholic beverage control state.
National
The two U.S. Senators:
- Chuck Grassley (R), in office since 1981
- Joni Ernst (R), in office since 2015
The four U.S. Representatives:
- Ashley Hinson (R), First district
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R), Second district
- Zach Nunn (R), Third district
- Randy Feenstra (R), Fourth district
After the 2010 United States Census and the resulting redistricting, Iowa lost one seat in Congress, falling to four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Incumbent U.S. Representatives Leonard Boswell (D) and Tom Latham (R) ran against each other in 2012 in the third congressional district which had new boundaries; Latham won and retired after the 2014 elections. King represented the old fifth congressional district.
Political parties
In Iowa, the term "political party" refers to political organizations which have received two percent or more of the votes cast for president or governor in the "last preceding general election". Iowa recognizes three political parties—the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and the Libertarian Party. The Libertarian Party obtained official political party status in 2017 as a result of presidential candidate Gary Johnson receiving 3.8% of the Iowa vote in the 2016 general election. Third parties, officially termed "nonparty political organizations", can appear on the ballot as well. Four of these have had candidates on the ballot in Iowa since 2004 for various positions: the Constitution Party, the Green Party, the Pirate Party, and the Socialist Workers Party.
Voter trends
| Year | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 897,672 | 53.09% | 759,061 | 44.89% | 34,138 | 2.02% |
| 2016 | 800,983 | 51.15% | 653,669 | 41.74% | 111,379 | 7.11% |
| 2012 | 730,617 | 46.18% | 822,544 | 51.99% | 29,019 | 1.83% |
| 2008 | 682,379 | 44.39% | 828,940 | 53.93% | 25,804 | 1.68% |
| 2004 | 751,957 | 49.90% | 741,898 | 49.23% | 13,053 | 0.87% |
| 2000 | 634,373 | 48.22% | 638,517 | 48.54% | 42,673 | 3.24% |
| 1996 | 492,644 | 39.92% | 620,258 | 50.26% | 121,173 | 9.82% |
| 1992 | 504,891 | 37.27% | 586,353 | 43.29% | 263,363 | 19.44% |
| 1988 | 545,355 | 44.50% | 670,557 | 54.71% | 9,702 | 0.79% |
| 1984 | 703,088 | 53.27% | 605,620 | 45.89% | 11,097 | 0.84% |
| 1980 | 676,026 | 51.31% | 508,672 | 38.60% | 132,963 | 10.09% |
| 1976 | 632,863 | 49.47% | 619,931 | 48.46% | 26,512 | 2.07% |
| 1972 | 706,207 | 57.61% | 496,206 | 40.48% | 23,531 | 1.92% |
| 1968 | 619,106 | 53.01% | 476,699 | 40.82% | 72,126 | 6.18% |
| 1964 | 449,148 | 37.92% | 733,030 | 61.88% | 2,361 | 0.20% |
| 1960 | 722,381 | 56.71% | 550,565 | 43.22% | 864 | 0.07% |
| 1956 | 729,187 | 59.06% | 501,858 | 40.65% | 3,519 | 0.29% |
| 1952 | 808,906 | 63.75% | 451,513 | 35.59% | 8,354 | 0.66% |
| 1948 | 494,018 | 47.58% | 522,380 | 50.31% | 21,874 | 2.11% |
| 1944 | 547,267 | 51.99% | 499,876 | 47.49% | 5,456 | 0.52% |
| 1940 | 632,370 | 52.03% | 578,800 | 47.62% | 4,260 | 0.35% |
| 1936 | 487,977 | 42.70% | 621,756 | 54.41% | 33,000 | 2.89% |
| 1932 | 414,433 | 39.98% | 598,019 | 57.69% | 24,235 | 2.34% |
| 1928 | 623,570 | 61.77% | 379,311 | 37.57% | 6,608 | 0.65% |
| 1924 | 537,458 | 55.02% | 160,382 | 16.42% | 278,930 | 28.56% |
| 1920 | 634,674 | 70.91% | 227,921 | 25.46% | 32,487 | 3.63% |
| 1916 | 280,439 | 54.25% | 221,699 | 42.89% | 14,806 | 2.86% |
| 1912 | 119,805 | 24.33% | 185,325 | 37.64% | 187,226 | 38.03% |
| 1908 | 275,209 | 55.62% | 200,771 | 40.58% | 18,789 | 3.80% |
| 1904 | 308,158 | 63.39% | 149,276 | 30.71% | 28,659 | 5.90% |
| 1900 | 307,808 | 58.04% | 209,265 | 39.46% | 13,282 | 2.50% |
| 1896 | 289,293 | 54.42% | 233,741 | 43.97% | 8,513 | 1.60% |
| 1892 | 219,795 | 49.60% | 196,367 | 44.31% | 26,997 | 6.09% |
| 1888 | 211,603 | 52.36% | 179,877 | 44.51% | 12,655 | 3.13% |
| 1884 | 197,089 | 52.25% | 177,316 | 47.01% | 2,796 | 0.74% |
| 1880 | 183,904 | 56.99% | 105,845 | 32.80% | 32,919 | 10.20% |
| 1876 | 171,326 | 58.50% | 112,121 | 38.28% | 9,431 | 3.22% |
| 1872 | 131,566 | 60.81% | 71,189 | 32.90% | 13,610 | 6.29% |
| 1868 | 120,399 | 61.92% | 74,040 | 38.08% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1864 | 88,500 | 64.12% | 49,525 | 35.88% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 70,302 | 54.61% | 55,639 | 43.22% | 2,798 | 2.17% |
| 1856 | 45,073 | 48.83% | 37,568 | 40.70% | 9,669 | 10.47% |
| 1852 | 15,856 | 44.84% | 17,763 | 50.23% | 1,745 | 4.93% |
| 1848 | 9,930 | 44.59% | 11,238 | 50.46% | 1,103 | 4.95% |
As a result of the 2010 elections, each party controlled one house of the Iowa General Assembly: the House had a Republican majority, while the Senate had a Democratic majority. As a result of the 2016 elections, Republicans gained control of the Senate. Incumbent Democratic governor Chet Culver was defeated in 2010 by Republican Terry Branstad, who had served as governor from 1983 to 1999. On December 14, 2015, Branstad became the longest serving governor in U.S. history, serving (at that time) 20 years, 11 months, and 3 days; eclipsing George Clinton, who served 21 years until 1804. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds succeeded him on May 24, 2017, following Branstad's appointment as U.S. Ambassador to China.
| Party registration as of October 1, 2022 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Total voters | Percentage | |||
| Republican | 761,934 | 34.20% | |||
| Nonpartisan | 743,881 | 33.39% | |||
| Democratic | 701,920 | 31.51% | |||
| Other | 19,905 | 0.89% | |||
| Total | 2,227,640 | 100% | |||
Presidential caucus
The state gets considerable attention every four years because the Iowa caucus, gatherings of voters to select delegates to the state conventions, is the first presidential caucus in the country. The caucuses, held in January or February of the election year, involve people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidates, rather than casting secret ballots as is done in a presidential primary election. Along with the New Hampshire primary the following week, Iowa's caucuses have become the starting points for choosing the two major-party candidates for president. The national and international media give Iowa and New Hampshire extensive attention, which gives Iowa voters leverage. In 2007 presidential campaign spending was the seventh highest in the country.
