# Elections in Iowa

Elections in Iowa :
Federal government
U.S. Presidential elections
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential caucuses
Democratic
1976
1980
1984
1992
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
1980
1996
2000
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1848
1849
1852
1855
1857 sp
1858
1860
1864
1866
1866 sp
1870
1870 sp
1872
1878
1882
1882 sp
1884
1888
1890
1894
1896
1900
1902
1902 sp
1907
1908
1908 sp
1909
1911 sp
1913
1914
1918
1920
1922 sp
1924
1926
1926 sp
1930
1932
1936
1936 sp
1938
1942
1944
1948
1950
1954
1956
1960
1962
1966
1968
1972
1974
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
2016
2020
2022
2026
2028
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1846
1847
1848
1850
1st sp
1852
1854
1856
1858
1860
1861
1st sp
1862
1864
1866
1868
1870
2nd sp
1872
1874
1876
1878
1879
5th sp
1880
1882
1883
6th sp
1884
7th sp
1886
1888
1890
7th sp
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
10th sp
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1911
9th sp
1912
11th sp
1914
2nd sp
1916
1918
1920
1921
5th sp
1922
1923
8th sp
1924
1926
1928
9th sp
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
6th sp
1942
9th sp
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1959
4th sp
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
General elections
2009
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
Gubernatorial elections
1846
1850
1854
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1885
1887
1889
1891
1893
1895
1897
1899
1901
1903
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Secretary of State elections
2022
Attorney General elections
2014
2018
2022
Senate elections
1846
1848
1850
1852
1854
1856
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1885
1887
1889
1891
1893
1895
1897
1899
1901
1903
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
Specials
House of Representatives elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
Territorial Council elections
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845 :
Ballot measures
2020
Question 1
2022
Amendment 1 :
Cedar Rapids
Mayoral elections
2021 :
Des Moines
Mayoral elections
1997 sp
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
vte :
The number of elections in Iowa varies from year to year. Presidential elections are held every four years.
United States presidential election results for Iowa :
| Year | Republican / Whig | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 927,019 | 55.73% | 707,278 | 42.52% | 29,209 | 1.76% |
| 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% |
Since 1972, Iowa has been the first state to vote in presidential primaries, with their caucuses. As with presidential elections, gubernatorial elections are held every four years - but are staggered such that they are held on general elections independently of the presidential election. Members of the Iowa Senate are elected every four years, with half of the Senate elected at each general election; all members of the Iowa House of Representatives are elected every two years. Additionally, elections for various government officials, judicial retention elections, and elections on referendums occur as part of various elections in Iowa.
In a 2020 study, Iowa was ranked as the 24th easiest state for citizens to vote in.

## Electoral system
### Party system

The Iowa Caucus is an electoral event in which residents meet in precinct caucuses in all of Iowa's 1,681 precincts and elect delegates to the corresponding county conventions.

## General elections

In Iowa, a general election is held on Election Day during even-numbered years. In addition to the elections for the chief executive and legislature of the United States and of Iowa, general elections in Iowa include statewide elections for the Secretary of State, Auditor of State, Treasurer of State, Secretary of Agriculture, and Attorney General. Also included are judicial retention elections and proposed amendments to the Iowa Constitution, along with various local elections.

## Local elections

In Iowa, various local officials are elected at the general election. However, school and city elections are not held during a general election, but at a different regularly scheduled time. Regular school elections are held on the second Tuesday in September during odd-numbered years. Regular city elections are held on Election Day during odd-numbered years.

## Special elections

In Iowa, special elections may be held throughout the year to fill various governmental vacancies or to vote on ballot initiatives. Special elections are generally held on Tuesdays and may not generally be held on the same day as a general or local election.