2026 Elections
The Iowa 2026 congressional primary was held on June 2, 2026. General Election Day is November 3, 2026.
Dates are approximate — states count the days differently and county schedules vary. Confirm yours at vote.gov. See all registration deadlines or early voting dates by state.
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See Iowa's current congressional delegation
Term end dates, party breakdown, and which seats are on the November ballot.
General Election · November 3, 2026
Quick Answer
Open seat — Sen. Joni Ernst declined to seek a third term.
November nominees
Ashley Hinson
Won primary · 74.2%
Josh Turek
Won primary · 62.7%
Each won their own party's primary and advance to November 3, 2026 in a single-winner plurality contest.
Iowa has 2 U.S. House districts rated competitive for 2026 (ratings: Sabato's Crystal Ball (Sept. 10, 2026)). These are among the seats most likely to decide control of the House.
All U.S. House seats in Iowa are on the 2026 ballot. Every House member runs for re-election every two years. View Iowa representatives →
Iowa's Class II Senate seat is up for election in 2026. The current senator is Joni Ernst (R) — retiring; open seat. Class II senators were last elected in 2020 and serve six-year terms.
Iowa holds a closed primary, meaning you must be registered with a political party to vote in that party's primary. Independent and unaffiliated voters cannot participate unless they re-register with a party before the registration deadline.
| June 2, 2026 | Primary Election (passed) |
| October 2026 | Voter registration deadlines (check your state) |
| November 3, 2026 | General Election |
| January 3, 2027 | 120th Congress convenes |
You must be registered with a political party to vote in that party's primary. Independent/unaffiliated voters cannot participate unless they re-register before the deadline.
To vote in the November 3, 2026 general election, register by ≈ October 19, 2026 — 15 days before Election Day. Registering online or by mail is different: mail registrations must be postmarked 15 days before. Iowa also allows same-day registration on Election Day, so missing the deadline does not cost you your vote.
Check your registration status and find your polling place at vote.gov. Deadlines marked ≈ are computed from statute and can shift — see all registration deadlines by state.
See All State Primary Dates
Compare Iowa's primary to other states' 2026 schedules.
Ashley Hinson won the Republican nomination with 74.2% of the vote, and Josh Turek won the Democratic nomination with 62.7%. They advance to the general election on November 3, 2026.
The November 3, 2026 ballot features Ashley Hinson (R) vs Josh Turek (D) for Iowa's U.S. Senate seat.
The Iowa 2026 congressional primary is June 2, 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026.
You must be registered with a political party to vote in that party's primary. Independent/unaffiliated voters cannot participate unless they re-register before the deadline.
All U.S. House seats in Iowa are on the 2026 primary ballot. Additionally, the U.S. Senate seat (Class II) is up for election. The current senator is Joni Ernst (R) — retiring; open seat. Many states also hold primaries for governor and state legislature on the same day.
Iowa holds a closed primary, meaning you must be registered with a political party to vote in that party's primary. Independent and unaffiliated voters cannot participate unless they re-register with a party before the registration deadline.
Voter registration deadlines vary but are typically 15–30 days before the primary. Because Iowa has a closed primary, you must also be registered with a party before the deadline to vote in a party primary. Check the Iowa Secretary of State website or vote.gov for the exact deadline.
The 2026 general election is on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. This date is the same for all 50 states — it is always the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.
Iowa has 2 U.S. House districts rated competitive by Sabato's Crystal Ball (Sept. 10, 2026): IA-1 (Toss-up), IA-3 (Toss-up). Decided November matchups: IA-1 (Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) vs Christina Bohannan (D)); IA-3 (Zach Nunn (R) vs Sarah Trone Garriott (D)).
Full state-by-state calendar, primary types (open, closed, jungle), and what is on the ballot.
Key dates for the 2026 midterm elections, from primaries to Election Day.
Why only one-third of Senate seats are up for election every two years.
Everyone who represents Iowa in Congress, with term end dates.
