The 1970 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1970 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in 27 of the state senate's 50 districts. Due to redistricting following the amending of the Iowa Constitution in 1968 mandating single-member districts, the Iowa Senate downsized from 61 to 50 members following the 1970 election.[1] State senators typically serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.
Quick Facts 27 out of 50 seats in the Iowa State Senate 26 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...
1970 Iowa Senate election|
|
|
|
|
Close
The Iowa General Assembly provides statewide maps of each district. To compare the effect of the 1968 redistricting process on the location of each district, contrast the previous map with the map used for 1970 elections.
The primary election on June 2, 1970 determined which candidates appeared on the November 3, 1970 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here.[2] General election results can be obtained here.[3]
Following the previous election, Republicans had control of the Iowa state Senate with 45 seats to Democrats' 16 seats. In June 1969, a special election in district 18 resulted in Sen. Orr flipping a seat in favor of the Democrats.[lower-alpha 2] Therefore, on election day in November 1970, Republicans controlled 44 seats and Democrats had 17.
To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 9 Senate seats.[lower-alpha 3]
Republicans maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1970 general election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 38 seats and Democrats having 12 seats (a net loss of 6 seats for Republicans and loss of 5 seats for the Democrats).[lower-alpha 3]
- The Iowa Constitution was amended in 1968 and required transitioning to single-member districts.[1] Following the 1970 elections, the total number of state Senators fell from 61 to 50 members. 27 districts were up for election in 1970.
- An asterisk (*) after a Senator's name indicates they were an incumbent in a new district number due to redistricting.
- Italicized district numbers indicate holdover Senators who were not up for election in 1970, but were shifted to new district numbers in the middle of their terms. These districts did not hold elections in 1970.[lower-alpha 4]
More information State Senate District, Incumbent ...
Close
Source:[4]
- Reminder: A change to the Iowa Constitution required transitioning to all single-member districts from 1970 onward.
- Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).
District 6
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 12
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 13
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 14
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 16
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 17
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 19
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 21
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 22
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
- Sen. Weimer did not take his seat in district 22 after winning re-election.[lower-alpha 23]
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 23
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 24
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 25
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 26
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 27
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 29
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 31
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 33
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 34
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 36
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 37
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 38
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 41
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 43
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 45
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 46
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 49
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
District 50
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
Minority Leader Frommelt was redistricted from district 30 to 25 and lost re-election against another incumbent, Senator John M. Walsh, who had also been redistricted from district 30 to 25.
Republican Senator Kenneth Benda resigned and was replaced by Democratic Senator Joann Yessler Orr in district 18 following a special election on June 20, 1969.
The overall size of the Iowa Senate decreased from 61 to 50 members, so both parties saw a decrease in size following the election of 1970.
Except Sen. Arbuckle, who stayed in the same district number, the 28th, both before and after the redistricting process and was not up for election.
Redistricted from district 49 to 1.
Redistricted from district 48 to 2.
Redistricted from district 44 to 3.
Redistricted from district 43 to 4.
Redistricted from district 41 to 5.
Redistricted from district 39 to 7.
Redistricted from district 45 to 8.
Redistricted from district 42 to 9.
Redistricted from district 24 to 10.
Redistricted from district 37 to 11.
Redistricted from district 37 to 12.
Redistricted from district 29 to 14.
Redistricted from district 35 to 15.
Redistricted from district 33 to 16.
Redistricted from district 26 to 18.
Redistricted from district 32 to 19.
Redistricted from district 32 to 20.
Redistricted from district 25 to 21.
Democratic Senator Jesse Donald Weimer was redistricted from district 24 to 22 and Weimer won the 22nd district general election in November 1970. However, he did not take office. In a special election in December, Democrat Cloyd E. Robinson won and kept the seat for the Democratic Party.
Redistricted from district 23 to 24. Also note, district 24 transitioned from a 3-member district (2 Republicans & 1 Democrat) to single-member district (1 Republican).
Redistricted from district 30 to 25.
Redistricted from district 22 to 27.
Redistricted from district 20 to 30. Also note, district 30 transitioned from a 2-member district (1 Republican & 1 Democrat) to single-member district (1 Democrat).
Redistricted from district 20 to 32. Also note, district 32 transitioned from a 3-member district (3 Republicans) to single-member district (1 Democrat).
Redistricted from district 19 to 34.
Redistricted from district 17 to 35.
Redistricted from district 14 to 36.
Redistricted from district 16 to 37. Also note, district 37 transitioned from a 2-member district (2 Republicans) to single-member district (1 Republican).
Redistricted from district 15 to 38.
Redistricted from district 15 to 39.
Redistricted from district 13 to 40.
Redistricted from district 6 to 41.
Redistricted from district 5 to 42.
Redistricted from district 10 to 44.
Redistricted from district 8 to 45.
Redistricted from district 11 to 47.
Redistricted from district 4 to 48.
Redistricted from district 9 to 49.
Redistricted from district 1 to 50.
Redistricted from district 36 to 13.
Redistricted from district 24 to 22.
Redistricted from district 24 to 23.
Redistricted from district 38 to 26.
Redistricted from district 13 to 27.
Redistricted from district 12 to 43.
Redistricted from district 21 to 43.
Redistricted from district 2 to 45.