Election Denial in Iowa
0 Election Deniers have won races for U.S. House in 2026. Explore
0 races for U.S. House where Election Deniers are on the ballot. Explore
0 Election Deniers have won races for U.S. Senate in 2026. Explore
0 races for U.S. Senate where Election Deniers are on the ballot. Explore
0 Election Deniers are on the ballot for statewide office. Explore
The landscape in Iowa
Iowa handed over its complete state voter rolls to the Justice Department in May 2026, including voters’ sensitive personal information.
The Justice Department’s demand that states turn over their voter rolls is part of the Trump administration’s strategy to limit who can vote and discredit any 2026 election results it doesn’t like. The federal government is using its immense power to intimidate states into turning over protected data and changing their voting processes to fit the president’s whims.
Gov. Kim Reynolds, an Election Denier, supported Texas v. Pennsylvania, the failed 2020 case that asked the Supreme Court to overturn the election results in four states that voted for Joe Biden. “The American people deserve a fair and transparent election,” Reynolds said at the time.
In fact, the 2020 election results were verified by election officials in every state. In dozens of failed lawsuits, President Trump and his allies provided no credible evidence of fraud or illegality. Trump’s own cybersecurity officials declared the 2020 election the most secure in U.S. history.
In 2023, Iowa announced it would leave the Electronic Registration Information Center, a trusted voter roll maintenance system that has been the victim of anti-democracy conspiracy theories.
Iowa is proof that standing up for free and fair elections starts at the local level. In one county, an Election Denier was installed as the chief election official. He had no prior experience with elections and had questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Voters quickly replaced him in a special election.
1 Election Denier holds statewide Office right now.
Elections are run by the states. In Iowa, the Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State are the state officials responsible for overseeing elections. It’s up to them to make sure the will of the people is always respected.
Read more about The Roles of Our Elected Officials in Elections
Governor of Iowa
Term started 2023
Term ends 2027
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Taken action to undermine the integrity of the 2020 presidential election or subsequent election cycles, including:
Filing or supporting litigation seeking to overturn the results based on conspiracies or baseless legal theories.
Filing or supporting litigation that was sanctioned for being malicious or without merit in the aftermath of an election.
Promoting or participating in a Stop the Steal–sponsored or branded event or rally during or following the 2020 election.
Calling for a “forensic audit” of the 2020 presidential election or a race in subsequent elections after the results were certified, were officially audited, or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
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Falsely claimed former President Trump won the 2020 presidential election instead of the legitimate winner, President Biden.
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Spread lies or promoted conspiracies about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election or subsequent election cycles in public, including in social media, press statements, or comments to the press.
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Refused to certify, or called on or pressured election officials to refuse to certify, the 2020 presidential election results or a race in subsequent elections based on meritless claims about election fraud, voter fraud, misinformation, or lies.
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Refused to concede a race, or publicly supported a candidate’s refusal to concede a race, after the results were officially audited or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
0 Election Deniers are on statewide Ballots in races we're tracking.
Iowa has a race in 2026 for at least one of the statewide offices that oversee elections. Here are the candidates.
Read more about The Roles of Our Elected Officials in Elections
Running for Governor of Iowa
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Spread lies or promoted conspiracies about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election or subsequent election cycles in public, including in social media, press statements, or comments to the press.
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Falsely claimed former President Trump won the 2020 presidential election instead of the legitimate winner, President Biden.
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Refused to certify, or called on or pressured election officials to refuse to certify, the 2020 presidential election results or a race in subsequent elections based on meritless claims about election fraud, voter fraud, misinformation, or lies.
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Taken action to undermine the integrity of the 2020 presidential election or subsequent election cycles, including:
Filing or supporting litigation seeking to overturn the results based on conspiracies or baseless legal theories.
Filing or supporting litigation that was sanctioned for being malicious or without merit in the aftermath of an election.
Promoting or participating in a Stop the Steal–sponsored or branded event or rally during or following the 2020 election.
Calling for a “forensic audit” of the 2020 presidential election or a race in subsequent elections after the results were certified, were officially audited, or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
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Refused to concede a race, or publicly supported a candidate’s refusal to concede a race, after the results were officially audited or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
0 Election Deniers are sitting members of congress right now.
Election Deniers make up 0 percent of Iowa’s 6-member Congressional delegation. Members of Congress have a public platform to build up or tear down trust in our elections. And they have concrete responsibilities, too, such as determining federal funding for elections.
Read more about The Roles of Our Elected Officials in Elections
No candidates match the selected filters.
0 Election Deniers are on the ballot for Congress in November in races we're tracking.
Here are the Election Deniers running in 2026 to represent Iowa in the House or Senate who are advancing to November. Remember: Some members of Congress elected this year will be voting on whether to certify the 2028 Presidential election.
Note: We are only tracking Election Deniers who have won their primaries and are advancing to the November general election. We are not tracking all Election Denier candidates ahead of state primaries. Click here to view Election Deniers who already hold seats in Congress right now.
Read more about The Roles of Our Elected Officials in Elections
No candidates match the selected filters.
How Iowa compares
Every state runs its own elections, with its own laws and processes. Check out how Iowa compares with other states in its region when it comes to Election Deniers holding state election administration jobs.
Election Denial in Plains States
Sitting official is an Election Denier
Election Denial in Ongoing Races
States are colored by the number of Election Deniers running for office:
0
1
2
3+
Election Deniers have held, or have run for, statewide Office 2 times since 2020.
Even one Election Denier with election oversight power is a threat to the will of the people. Here are the Election Deniers who have sought control over Iowa elections in recent years.
Governor of Iowa
Term started 2023
Term ends 2027
-
Taken action to undermine the integrity of the 2020 presidential election or subsequent election cycles, including:
Filing or supporting litigation seeking to overturn the results based on conspiracies or baseless legal theories.
Filing or supporting litigation that was sanctioned for being malicious or without merit in the aftermath of an election.
Promoting or participating in a Stop the Steal–sponsored or branded event or rally during or following the 2020 election.
Calling for a “forensic audit” of the 2020 presidential election or a race in subsequent elections after the results were certified, were officially audited, or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
-
Falsely claimed former President Trump won the 2020 presidential election instead of the legitimate winner, President Biden.
-
Spread lies or promoted conspiracies about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election or subsequent election cycles in public, including in social media, press statements, or comments to the press.
-
Refused to certify, or called on or pressured election officials to refuse to certify, the 2020 presidential election results or a race in subsequent elections based on meritless claims about election fraud, voter fraud, misinformation, or lies.
-
Refused to concede a race, or publicly supported a candidate’s refusal to concede a race, after the results were officially audited or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
Governor of Iowa
Term started 2019
Term ended 2023
-
Taken action to undermine the integrity of the 2020 presidential election or subsequent election cycles, including:
Filing or supporting litigation seeking to overturn the results based on conspiracies or baseless legal theories.
Filing or supporting litigation that was sanctioned for being malicious or without merit in the aftermath of an election.
Promoting or participating in a Stop the Steal–sponsored or branded event or rally during or following the 2020 election.
Calling for a “forensic audit” of the 2020 presidential election or a race in subsequent elections after the results were certified, were officially audited, or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
-
Falsely claimed former President Trump won the 2020 presidential election instead of the legitimate winner, President Biden.
-
Spread lies or promoted conspiracies about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election or subsequent election cycles in public, including in social media, press statements, or comments to the press.
-
Refused to certify, or called on or pressured election officials to refuse to certify, the 2020 presidential election results or a race in subsequent elections based on meritless claims about election fraud, voter fraud, misinformation, or lies.
-
Refused to concede a race, or publicly supported a candidate’s refusal to concede a race, after the results were officially audited or stood up to multiple legal challenges.
Voter turnout over time
Voters are always the backstop against election denial, whether Election Deniers are already in office or vying for power. It’s important to turn out for every election in your state—and to vote in every race on your ballot. Downballot races, like contests for Attorney General and Secretary of State, have historically drawn fewer voters, even though the positions are critical to keeping elections free, fair, and secure. Here’s a look at voter participation in Iowa elections over time. Notice that in years with several important positions up for election, some voters choose not to vote in every race.
Voter Participation in Iowa Since 2016
- #071B40
- President
- #2455A0
- Senator
- #4387F1
- Governor
- #A7C5F3
- Attorney General
- #EDF3FD
- Secretary of State
2016 Presidential
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President had a 68% voter turnout rate
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Senator had a 67% voter turnout rate
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2018 Midterm
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Governor had a 57% voter turnout rate
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Attorney General had a 50% voter turnout rate
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Secretary of State had a 56% voter turnout rate
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2020 Presidential
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President had a 73% voter turnout rate
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Senator had a 72% voter turnout rate
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2022 Midterm
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Senator had a 51% voter turnout rate
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Governor had a 52% voter turnout rate
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Attorney General had a 51% voter turnout rate
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Secretary of State had a 51% voter turnout rate
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2024 Presidential
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President had a 70% voter turnout rate
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Voter turnout
Data on the number of votes cast in each race are from state elections depositories, supplemented with data from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), House Election Statistics, and The Book of States. Rates are calculated using the Census’s Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP) estimates.