The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state of Iowa with populations of approximately 63,807 per constituency, . Each Senate district is composed of two House districts. The Senate meets at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.
Terms Like members of the Iowa House of Representatives, Iowa state senators serve without term limits, and are elected in November for terms starting the following January. Unlike Iowa state representatives, who are elected to two year terms, senators are elected to four-year terms, which are staggered so that half the Senate is up for reelection every two years. In years divisible by 4 (United States presidential election years), elections are held in even-numbered state senate districts. Two years later, elections are held in odd-numbered state senate districts.
Redistricting In election years following redistricting (years ending in digit 2, such as 2002), senate districts scheduled to hold elections two years earlier are called "holdover senatorial districts". Iowa Code Section 42.4 includes special rules for holdover senatorial districts. When there is one and only one incumbent senator residing in a holdover senatorial district, that incumbent senator continues in the senate, representing the district for the final two years of the term. When more than one incumbent senator resides in a holdover senatorial district and wishes to remain in the senate, there is an election in that district for the final two years of the term.This is a summary of Iowa law detailed in subsection 8 of
Leadership The President of the Senate presides over the body, whose powers include referring bills to committees, recognizing members during debate, and making procedural rulings. Unlike the more powerful Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, the Senate President cannot appoint committee chairmanships or shuffle committee memberships. The lieutenant governor of Iowa was the presiding officer of the Senate until 1988, when an amendment to the Constitution of Iowa was passed in a referendum (effective from 1991). The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority and Minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.
The President of the Senate is Republican Amy Sinclair of the 12th District. The Majority Leader is Republican Mike Klimesh of the 32nd District. The Minority Leader is Democrat Janice Weiner of the 36th District.
Committee leadership Committee Chair Vice chair Ranking memberAgriculture Dan Zumbach Annette Sweeney Kevin KinneyAppropriationsTim Kraayenbrink Mark Lofgren Joe BolkcomCommerceJason Schultz Carrie Koelker Jim LykamEducationAmy Sinclair Jeff Taylor Herman QuirmbachEthicsCarrie Koelker Jim Carlin Pam JochumGovernment OversightJason Schultz Craig Williams Human ResourcesJeff Edler Mark Costello Liz MathisJudiciaryBrad Zaun Julian Garrett Kevin KinneyLabor and Business RelationsZach Whiting Jesse Green Nate BoultonLocal GovernmentTom ShipleyMike KlimeshJackie SmithNatural Resources and EnvironmentAnnette SweeneyDawn DriscollSarah Trone GarriottRules and AdministrationJack WhitverJake ChapmanZach WahlsState GovernmentRoby SmithChris CournoyerTony BisignanoTransportationWaylon BrownAdrian DickeyEric GiddensVeterans AffairsJim CarlinJeff ReichmanEric GiddensWays and MeansDan DawsonTim GoodwinPam Jochum
*All chairs and vice chairs are Republicans. All ranking members are Democrats.
Current composition
AffiliationParty (shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacantDemocraticRepublicanIndependentEnd 2012 26230 4912013–201426240500Begin 201526240500End 2016 sessionDavid Johnson (District 1) switched parties from Republican to "No Party" on June 7, 2016. 2312017–2018202915002019–2022183205002023–202416340500Begin 2025Republican Chris Cournoyer (District 49) resigned to become lieutenant governor of Iowa.15340491January 28, 2025Democrat Mike Zimmer elected to succeed Cournoyer.16500June 25, 2025Republican Rocky De Witt (District 1) died.33491August 26, 2025Democrat Catelin Drey is elected to succeed De Witt.17500October 6, 2025Democrat Claire Celsi (District 12) died. 16491December 30, 2025Democrat Renee Hardman is elected to succeed Celsi. 17500June 8, 2026Republican Julian Garrett (District 11) died. 32491Latest voting share
Senators +Iowa senators DistrictNamePartyCountiesStartStanding committee leaderAppropriations subcommittee member1DemocraticWoodbury20252RepublicanPlymouth and Sioux2020Education (Vice Chair)Education (Chair)3RepublicanOsceola, O'Brien, Clay, Cherokee, and Buena Vista2022Education4RepublicanCalhoun, Pocahontas, Sac, and Webster2014Appropriations (Chair), Technology (Vice Chair)5RepublicanClay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Palo Alto, and Winnebago2020Administration and Regulation Appropriations (Chair)6RepublicanAudubon, Carroll, Crawford, Ida, and Shelby2014State Government (Chair)7RepublicanCherokee, Monona, Plymouth, and Woodbury2022Health and Human Services8RepublicanFremont, Harrison, Mills, and Pottawattamie2014Ethics (Vice Chair)Health and Human Services (Chair)9RepublicanAdams, Cass, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold, Taylor, and Union2014Ethics (Chair), Natural Resources and Environment (Vice Chair)Agriculture and Natural Resources10RepublicanPottawattamie2016Ways and Means (Chair)11VacantMarion and Warren12RepublicanAdair, Appanoose, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Lucas, Madison, Union, and Wayne2012Government Oversight (Chair), Rules and Administration (Vice Chair)13RepublicanAppanoose, Davis, Monroe, and Wapello2022Justice System (Vice Chair)14DemocraticDallas2020Health and Human Services (Ranking Member)Health and Human Services15DemocraticPolk2014State Government (Ranking Member), Agriculture (Ranking Member)16DemocraticDallas and Polk202517DemocraticPolk2022Natural Resources and Environment (Ranking Member)Education18DemocraticPolk2012Appropriations (Ranking Member)Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals (Ranking Member)19RepublicanJasper, Mahaska, and Marion2012Agriculture (Vice Chair), Education (Chair)20RepublicanPolk202421RepublicanPolk2022Commerce (Vice Chair)Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals (Vice Chair)22DemocraticPolk202423RepublicanDallas and Polk2011Rules and Administration (Chair)24RepublicanBoone, Dallas, Greene, Guthrie, and Story2020Local Government (Chair)25DemocraticStory2002Education (Ranking Member)Economic Development26RepublicanMarshall and Story202427RepublicanBlack Hawk, Grundy, Hardin, Poweshiek, and Tama2018Natural Resources and Environment (Chair)Agriculture and Natural Resources (Vice Chair)28RepublicanFranklin, Hancock, Hamilton, Humbolt, and Wright2012N/AAdministration and Regulation (Vice Chair)29RepublicanBremer, Butler, Chickasaw, and Floyd2022Veterans Affairs (Vice Chair)Justice System30RepublicanCerro Gordo, Floyd, Mitchell, and Worth202431DemocraticBlack Hawk2002Veterans Affairs (Ranking Member)Economic Development (Ranking Member)32RepublicanAllamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek2020Government Oversight (Vice Chair); Transportation (Chair)Health and Human Services33RepublicanDubuque, Jones, and Jackson2018Was and Means (Vice Chair)Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals (Chair)34RepublicanBlack Hawk, Buchanan, Delaware, Dubuque, and Fayette2012Appropriations(Vice Chair)Agriculture and Natural Resources (Chair)35DemocraticClinton, Jackson, and Scott202536DemocraticDubuque202437DemocraticLinn2022Workforce (Ranking Member)Health and Human Services (Ranking Member)38RepublicanBenton, Black Hawk, and Tama202439DemocraticLinn2022Technology (Ranking Member)Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals40DemocraticLinn202441RepublicanCedar, Muscatine, and Scott2022Economic Development42RepublicanBenton and Linn2022Workforce (Vice Chair)Justice System43DemocraticJohnson2018Rules and Administration (Ranking Member)44RepublicanHenry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, and Van Buren2021Workforce (Chair); Transportation (Vice Chair)Economic Development45DemocraticJohnson2022Local Government (Ranking Member)Agriculture and Natural Resources46RepublicanIowa, Johnson. and Washington2020Agriculture (Chair)47RepublicanScott2022Administration and Regulation48RepublicanDes Moines, Henry, Louisa, and Muscatine2016Local Government (Vice Chair)Economic Development (Chair)49DemocraticScott2022Ethics (Ranking Member)Education (Ranking Member)50RepublicanDes Moines and Lee2020Veterans Affairs (Chair)
Past notable members Federal offices 10 members became US Senators including: Samuel J. Kirkwood, George G. Wright, James F. Wilson, Albert B. Cummins (also served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate), Lafayette Young, George A. Wilson, Guy Gillette, Jack Miller, Roger Jepsen and Joni Ernst.
5 members became members of the US House of Representatives including: James F. Wilson, Madison Miner Walden, Steve King, Randy Feenstra and Mariannette Miller-Meeks.
3 members became Federal Cabinet Members including: Samuel J. Kirkwood as Secretary of Interior, George W. McCrary, Secretary of War and Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture.
State offices 13 members became Governor including: Samuel J. Kirkwood, William Larrabee, Beryl F. Carroll, Albert B. Cummins, Warren Garst, John Hammill (served as Acting Governor in 1922, then Governor in 1925), Daniel Webster Turner, George A. Wilson, William S. Beardsley, Leo Elthon, Robert D. Fulton, Tom Vilsack and Kim Reynolds.
28 members became Lieutenant Governor including: Nicholas J. Rusch, John R. Needham, Enoch W. Eastman, Benjamin F. Gue, John Scott, Madison Miner Walden, Henry C. Bulis, Joseph Dysart, Frank T. Campbell, Alfred N. Poyneer, Samuel L. Bestow, Warren S. Dungan, Mathies Parrott, Warren Garst, John Hammill, Clem F. Kimball, Arch W. McFarlane, John K. Valentine, Kenneth A. Evans, Leo Elthon, Edward J. McManus, Robert D. Fulton, Roger Jepsen, Arthur Neu, Joy Corning, Patty Judge, Kim Reynolds and Chris Cournoyer.
1 member was twice the Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court and Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court: George G. Wright
3 members held state level elected positions including: Beryl F. Carroll as Iowa State Auditor from 1903 to 1909, Richard C. Turner as Attorney General of Iowa from 1968 to 1979 and Patty Judge as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture from 1999 to 2007.
Past composition of the Senate
See also List of current members of the Iowa Senate Iowa House of Representatives
References
External links
Iowa Legislature official government website
Iowa Senate Democrats Iowa Senate Republicans Current Iowa Senators