2025 Iowa House of Representatives District 78 special election

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2025 Iowa House of Representatives District 78 special election
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←  2024 April 29, 20252026 →
Iowa House of Representatives
District 78
Unofficial results
Turnout17.4%
  Angel Ramirez.jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Angel Ramirez Bernie Hayes
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote2,742721
Percentage79.04%20.78%
2025 Iowa House of Representatives District 78 special election by precinct.svg
Precinct results
Ramirez:     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Representative before election

Sami Scheetz
Democratic

Elected Representative

Angel Ramirez
Democratic

A special election in the U.S. state of Iowa was held on April 29, 2025, to elect a new member to the Iowa House of Representatives to represent District 78. The special election was called after the resignation of Democratic incumbent Sami Scheetz following his appointment to the Linn County Board of Supervisors. District 78 is located entirely within Linn County, representing a portion of Cedar Rapids. Decision Desk HQ has called the election for Democrat Angel Ramirez with all precincts reporting. [1]

Contents

Background and procedure

Iowa House District 78 is located within Cedar Rapids in Linn County. Prior to redistricting after the 2020 United States Census, HD 78 was located further south, containing all of Keokuk County and a portion of Washington County. [2] The first person elected to the district with this new shape was Democrat Sami Scheetz in 2022, who won the Democratic nomination unopposed and defeated his Republican general election opponent by 35 points. In 2024, he again was re-nominated unopposed, facing no opposition in the general election. On April 1, 2025, Scheetz resigned after being appointed to the Linn County Board of Supervisors.

Under Iowa law, if a vacancy arises during the Iowa General Assembly's legislative session, the Governor of Iowa is required to call an election at the "earliest practical time" with at least eighteen days' notice. [3] On April 8, 2025, governor Kim Reynolds issued the writs of election, scheduling the special election for April 29. Candidates had until April 15 to file for election. No primaries are held for state legislative special elections in Iowa, so political parties must nominate candidates by convention. Independent candidates may petition to be placed on the ballot by collecting signatures. Additionally, voters have the option to write-in names of candidates not on the ballot. [4]

Previous results (2022–present)

Results before the 2020 redistricting cycle are not included as the current 78th district does not contain any of the old 78th district.

Year Democrats Republicans OtherMgn.Ref.
2024 pres. Kamala Harris 9,57765.20% Donald Trump 4,79832.67%3132.13%D+32.53 [5]
2024 Sami Scheetz (i)10,80396.73%3653.27%D+93.46 [6]
2022 Sami Scheetz 7,23967.46%Anne Fairchild3,46632.30%260.24%D+35.16

Candidates

Results

2025 Iowa House of Representatives District 78 special election [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Angel Ramirez 2,742 79.04% –17.69
Republican Bernie Hayes72120.78%New
Write-in 60.17%−1.96
Total votes3,469 100.00

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Iowa State House 78 Special Election General". Decision Desk HQ. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  2. ↑ "IOWA HOUSE DISTRICTS (2011)" (PDF). Iowa Legislature. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  3. ↑ "69.14 Special election to fill vacancies" (PDF). Iowa Code. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  4. ↑ Nieland, Grace (April 8, 2025). "Special election slated to fill Iowa House District 78 seat". The Gazette . Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  5. ↑ "IA 2022 State House". Dave's Redistricting . Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Iowa House of Representatives District 78". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  7. ↑ Nieland, Grace (April 15, 2025). "Republican Bernie Hayes to run in House District 78 special election". The Gazette. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  8. ↑ Nieland, Grace (April 14, 2025). "Democrat Angel Ramirez to run in House District 78 special election". The Gazette. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  9. ↑ "State Representative District 78". Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
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