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Note: This article is not intended to serve as a guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact theirstate election agencies for further information.

In order to get on the ballot in Iowa, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines.These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Iowa. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates,click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contactstate election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Seestate election laws

Year-specific filing information

2026

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2026 U.S. Congress elections andIowa elections, 2026

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Iowa in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Iowa, clickhere.

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Iowa in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Iowa, clickhere.

Governor

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Iowa in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Iowa, clickhere.

State House

The table below details filing requirements for Iowa House of Representatives candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Iowa, clickhere.

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for Indiana State Senate candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Indiana, clickhere.

For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

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 theIowa 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]

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 astate executive office or theUnited 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 theUnited 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 theIowa 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 theIowa 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 theIowa 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 theIowa 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.

Petition requirements

See also:Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

In some cases, political parties and/or candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain ballot access. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining topetitions andcirculators inIowa.

InIowa, most candidates are required to file nomination petitions with theIowa Secretary of State. Any eligible elector may sign a candidate's nomination petition. Eligible electors do not have to be registered to vote, but they do need to be U.S. citizens, Iowa residents, and 18 years of age or older. Eligible electors cannot be judged incompetent to vote in a court of law, claim the right to vote anywhere else, or be convicted felons, unless a president orgovernor has reinstated their voting rights.^[17]

There is no limit to the number of nomination petitions an eligible elector may sign for different candidates. When signing a nominating petition, an eligible elector must include his or her address.^[17]

There is no designated start date for collecting signatures for nomination petitions. Signatures may be collected at any time. A candidate may sign his or her own nomination petition as long as the candidate is considered an eligible elector in the district he or she is seeking to represent.^{[17][18][19][17]}

The state code does not establish circulator requirements. Specifically, there are noresidency requirements for circulators.

Noteworthy events

March 8, 2021: Governor signs legislation modifying filing requirements for non-party candidates

On March 8, 2021, Iowa GovernorKim Reynolds (R) signed SF413 into law, making the following modifications to the state's ballot access protocols:^[20][14]

• For non-party candidates nominated via convention, SF413 increased the attendance requirements as follows:
  • For governor, statewide offices, and U.S. Senator, from 250 electors to 500.
  • For U.S. House candidates, from 50 to 200 electors.
  • For Iowa State Senate candidates, from 20 to 50 electors.
  • For Iowa House of Representatives candidates, from 10 to 25 electors.
• For non-party candidates nominated via petition, SF413 increased the petition signature requirements as follows:
  • For governor and U.S. Senator, from 1,500 electors in at least 10 counties to 3,500 electors, including at least 100 from at least 19 counties.
  • For other statewide offices, from 1,500 electors from at least 10 counties to 2,500 electors, including at least 77 from at least 18 counties.
  • For U.S. House candidates, from 375 electors to 1,726 electors, including at least 77 from at least 18 counties.

The bill cleared both chambers of the state legislature on party lines, with all present Republicans voting in favor and all present Democrats voting against it.^[20][14]

Contact information

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also:State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Iowa can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Iowa County Auditor/Commissioner of Elections

Click here for a list

Iowa Secretary of State Office

First Floor, Lucas Building

321 E 12th St

Des Moines, Iowa 50319

Phone: 515-281-0145

Toll free: 1-888-767-8683

Fax: 515-281-4682

Email:sos@sos.iowa.gov

Website:http://sos.iowa.gov/elections/

Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board

Jessie Parker Building

510 E. 12th St, Suite 1A

Des Moines, Iowa 50319

Phone: 515-281-4028

Fax: 515-281-4073

Email:ethicsboard@iowa.gov

Website:https://ethics.iowa.gov

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email:clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website:https://www.eac.gov

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Do you need information about elections inyour area? Are you looking foryour local election official?Click here to visit theU.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Term limits

State executives

See also:State executives with term limits andStates with gubernatorial term limits

Iowa does not place term limits on state executives.

State legislators

See also:State legislatures with term limits

Iowa does not place term limits on state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

See also:List of United States Representatives from Iowa andList of United States Senators from Iowa

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation fromIowa.

State legislative partisanship

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature ofIowa.

Iowa State Senate

Iowa House of Representatives

Related legislation

The table below lists bills related to ballot access requirements for candidates that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Iowa. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

The Ballot Bulletin

TheBallot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from ourElection Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

• The Ballot Bulletin: November 21, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 14, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 7, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 31, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 24, 2025

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See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Iowa
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Iowa
• Iowa elections, 2024
• Campaign finance requirements in Iowa
• Counties in Iowa
• List of United States Representatives from Iowa
• List of United States Senators from Iowa
• Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
• State executives with term limits
• States with gubernatorial term limits
• State legislatures with term limits

External links

Official state and federal links

• Iowa Secretary of State
• Federal Election Commission
• Iowa Secretary of State, "Candidate's Guide to the Primary Election, June 4, 2024"
• Iowa Secretary of State, "Candidate's Guide to the General Election, November 5, 2024"

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• ThirdPartyPolitics.us – Blog about American third party and independent politics
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives

Footnotes

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policy Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Redistricting policy Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Recount laws Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for political candidates Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for presidential candidates Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for political parties Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Electoral systems Single-winner system •Multi-winner system •Block voting system •Plurality voting system •Majority voting system •Top-two primary •Blanket primary •Open primary •Closed primary •Semi-closed primary •Top-four primary •Ranked-choice voting (RCV) •STAR voting •Approval voting •Fusion voting