2026CalledUnofficial results

2026 election for Iowa Secretary of State

Name: 2026 election for Iowa Secretary of State
Start: 2026-11-03
Location: Iowa

Secretary of State · Iowa

Paul Pate (R) won re-election with 53.2% of the vote, defeating Ryan Peterman (D) by 6.4 points.

Paul PateRepublican · winner · incumbent

53.2%711,766

Ryan PetermanDemocrat

46.7%625,867

Write-inOther party

0.1%1,257

1,338,890 votes

Source: Iowa Secretary of State unofficial resultsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:35 PM ET

Where the race moved

Against the 2024 presidential vote

Every county, 2024 to 2026

Each dot is a county, sized by votes cast and colored by who carried it in 2026. Dots above the line moved toward Peterman compared with the 2024 presidential vote; 97 of 99 did. The largest shift among the bigger counties: Lee, +15.7 points.

Source: civicAPI county results (unofficial); 2024 president: MEDSL precinct returnsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:34 PM ET

The seat's recent races

Source: Past results: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

By county

CountyShareMarginShift

PolkD+15.0+4.1

LinnD+10.1+0.2

JohnsonD+45.6+7.8

ScottD+7.5+11.4

DallasR+1.3+3.4

Black HawkD+9.7+8.5

DubuqueR+2.5+6.1

StoryD+16.2+5.9

Show 91 more

PottawattamieR+8.3+11.6

WoodburyR+8.9+14.0

WarrenR+17.0+3.6

Cerro GordoR+4.6+7.0

ClintonR+8.2+10.6

JasperR+22.7+4.8

MarionR+35.6+2.0

MuscatineD+0.4+15.2

SiouxR+68.4+2.2

Des MoinesR+3.6+11.4

MarshallR+6.3+9.2

WebsterR+21.1+10.0

BooneR+15.2+6.3

LeeR+12.0+15.8

BremerR+20.9+1.2

BentonR+32.5+0.7

WapelloR+16.5+15.0

PlymouthR+47.8+6.3

WinneshiekR+6.3+2.9

WashingtonR+22.8+1.6

DickinsonR+37.3+2.5

CarrollR+39.1+2.8

JonesR+27.7−1.4

CedarR+17.5+4.3

BuchananR+25.6+2.5

MahaskaR+46.1+5.3

JacksonR+24.8+7.7

PoweshiekR+12.7+4.2

DelawareR+39.0+0.5

IowaR+26.1+1.6

FayetteR+28.5+1.9

MadisonR+36.0+2.4

HenryR+27.9+8.0

ClaytonR+31.4+3.1

TamaR+21.4+5.4

JeffersonD+1.0+7.8

KossuthR+43.7+0.4

HardinR+37.0+1.2

ClayR+35.6+7.4

ButlerR+41.1+4.2

MillsR+28.7+10.2

FloydR+17.7+8.0

Buena VistaR+20.7+12.5

HamiltonR+26.6+6.6

HarrisonR+31.8+9.9

GrundyR+41.3+0.4

AllamakeeR+28.9+5.4

O'BrienR+54.9+5.8

LyonR+66.0+3.6

CassR+37.7+2.9

GuthrieR+39.6−1.9

PageR+34.6+7.7

CrawfordR+30.6+12.8

ShelbyR+39.8+3.1

ChickasawR+32.8+4.3

AppanooseR+34.8+11.7

CherokeeR+40.6+5.0

UnionR+29.2+6.9

HancockR+44.1+3.3

WinnebagoR+27.6+3.0

MitchellR+26.4+4.7

WrightR+31.7+4.7

SacR+46.6+4.9

Palo AltoR+40.1+4.8

LouisaR+29.1+11.8

KeokukR+45.8+5.7

FranklinR+39.4+2.2

HumboldtR+45.7+4.1

CalhounR+42.3+4.4

HowardR+26.1+5.6

MontgomeryR+32.7+6.2

GreeneR+30.9+2.0

EmmetR+33.0+11.0

ClarkeR+34.6+7.2

LucasR+43.9+4.1

MononaR+36.7+8.5

WorthR+22.6+5.5

AdairR+44.2+0.6

MonroeR+42.4+8.2

DavisR+44.5+9.9

Van BurenR+49.1+6.3

IdaR+50.5+2.7

DecaturR+41.3+5.6

PocahontasR+47.1+6.8

FremontR+34.0+10.5

AudubonR+35.3+3.0

OsceolaR+59.1+4.9

WayneR+47.9+9.2

TaylorR+51.0+4.7

RinggoldR+50.4+0.8

AdamsR+38.8+5.2

Bar: share of the state's vote. Shift: change in margin from the 2024 presidential vote, + toward Democrats.

Source: civicAPI county results (unofficial); 2024 president: MEDSL precinct returnsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:34 PM ET

Polls against the result

The final average had Pate ahead by 3.4. Pate won by 6.4: a 3.0-point miss toward Democrats.

Poll with Peterman ahead
Poll with Pate ahead
Final polling average
Result

Pollster	Dates	Sample	Peterman	Pate	Margin	Adjusted	Miss vs result	Grade	Release
Change Research for Peterman's campaignD-sponsored	Sep 11–Sep 14	704 LV	40	42	R+2	R+3.3	+4.4	B+	docs.google.com ↗

Adjusted: after correcting for the pollster's house effect and likely-voter screens. Miss: the poll's margin minus the result; + means the poll leaned Democratic. Grade: the pollster's accuracy in past elections, A+ to D (pollster ratings).

Source: Each poll's release, via Wikipedia poll listsUpdated Sep 14, 2026

Pre-election forecast (final, Nov 3)

Our model's last run before Election Day, Nov 3, 2026. It no longer updates.

Ryan Peterman: 20%
Paul Pate: 80%
Projected margin: R+5.4

How the forecast works →

The candidates

Paul Pate (R)
Incumbent secretary of state (1995–1999, 2015–present)Ryan Peterman (D)
Former legislative assistant to Jeanne Shaheen

Also on the ballot: Write-in (Other party), 0.1%

Also on this ballot here

U.S. Senate	D+4.1
Governor	D+11.0
Attorney General	D+1.8
Treasurer	R+0.7
Auditor	D+0.5

Results within this state. Source: Results and race calls: Iowa Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 7, 2026, 1:35 PM ET