Of 1,727 regular elections in Iowa—1,444 (84%) are uncontested. An uncontested election is one where the number of candidates on the ballot is less than or equal to the number of seats up for election. 

Of the 24 states where Ballotpedia is covering every election on Nov. 5, Iowa has the highest rate of uncontested elections. 

There are at least 13 office types up for election in Iowa this year. 

State supreme court justice, board of education, clerk, and local judge have the highest rate of uncontested elections at 100%. Elections for the office of city council have the next highest uncontested rate at 95%, followed by sheriff and water board at 87% each.

U.S. senator and state senator have the highest rate of contested elections at 84%. The next highest contested office types in Iowa are U.S. representative and state representative at 73%, followed by county commissioner at 43%.

Iowa has a Republican trifecta, meaning Republicans control the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature. Among states with Republican trifectas, 66% of elections are uncontested and 34% are contested. Those rates for Democratic trifectas are 55% and 45%, respectively. In states with a divided government, 56% of elections are uncontested and 44% are contested. 

Through October 2024, Ballotpedia has covered 36,068 elections in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four territories in 2024 alone. Of that total, 27,164 (75%) were uncontested and 8,904 (25%) were contested. To learn more about this analysis, click here!