2026 Iowa Secretary of State election

2026 Iowa Secretary of State election

←  2022 November 3, 2026 (2026-11-03) 2030 →

Party Republican Democratic

Incumbent Secretary of State Paul Pate Republican

The 2026 Iowa Secretary of State election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the Secretary of State of Iowa, concurrently with elections to the United States Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, and other state and local elections. Primary elections will be held on June 2, 2026. ^[1]

Incumbent Republican secretary Paul Pate is running for re-election to a fifth overall and fourth consecutive term in office. ^[2]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Paul Pate, incumbent secretary of state (1995-1999, 2015-present) ^{[3] [4]}

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Ryan Peterman, Navy veteran and former legislative assistant to Jeanne Shaheen ^[5]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Sabato's Crystal Ball [6]	Likely R	August 7, 2025

References

1. "Candidate information for Primary Elections". Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
2. Geer, Caleb (June 14, 2025). "'We're not done yet': Paul Pate announces reelection plans for Iowa Secretary of State". We Are Iowa. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
3. Judson, Norah (June 14, 2025). "Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says he'll seek a fifth term in office in 2026 election". Des Moines Register. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
4. Murphy, Erin (June 14, 2025). "Pate running for another term as Iowa's top elections official". The Gazette. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
5. Opsahl, Robin (May 20, 2025). "Democrat Ryan Peterman launches bid for Iowa secretary of state". Iowa Capital Dispatch. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
6. Jacobson, Louis (August 7, 2025). "Previewing the 2026 Secretary of State Races". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved November 4, 2025.