Special elections to the Iowa Senate are called by the Governor of Iowa when a vacancy arises within the State Senate. If there is a vacancy in the Iowa General Assembly (i.e., the Iowa state legislature), the vacant seat must be filled by special election. If the vacancy occurs while the General Assembly is in session, the Governor must call within five days of the occurrence of the vacancy for an election as expeditiously as feasible, with a minimum 18-day notice. If the vacancy happens while the General Assembly is out of session, the special election must follow a 45-day notice, as long as the election does not coincide with a school election. All special elections must be held on a Tuesday.
List of special elections District Election Date Predecessor Special Election Winner 39th February 17, 1913 Charles Gates (R) F. P. Hagemann (D) 37th March 31, 1923 Daniel Cady Chase (R) William Schmedika (D) 4th February 1, 1933 John Henry Judd (D) Joseph E. Doze (D) 29th March 24, 1933 Oliver Perry Myers (D) D. Myron Tripp (D) 35th August 22, 1933 Matt D. Cooney (D) Howard C. Baldwin (D) 45th October 3, 1933 Harry Cook White (D) Richard V. Leo (R) 2nd January 17, 1944 Sanford Zeigler (R) Charles W. Wade (R) 5th January 17, 1944 Stephen Ray Emerson (R) T. M. Thompson (R) 28th January 26, 1945 Benjamin Chase Whitehill (R) Robert A. Rockhill (R) 37th January 6, 1947 George Raymond Hill (R) Rex R. Bateson (R) 15th January 10, 1963 L. C. Shivvers (R) Vera H. Shivvers (R) 18th June 20, 1969 Kenneth Benda (R) Joann Yessler Orr (D) 1st September 9, 1969 Seeley G. Lodwick (R) Wilson L. Davis (R) 45th October 28, 1969 Walter B. Hammer (R) S. J. Brownlee (R) 14th November 15, 1969 David M. Stanley (R) W. R. Rabedeaux (R) 6th November 18, 1969 Charles Vernon Lisle (R) Earl Bass (R) 12th December 16, 1969 Joseph Flatt (R) Glen E. Bortell (R) 22nd December 1970 J. Donald Weimer (D) Cloyd E. Robinson (D) 47th December 1972 James B. Turner (R) Richard R. Ramsey (R) 10th November 5, 1974 Mike Blouin (D) Robert M. "Bob" Carr (D) 15th November 2, 1976 Steve Sovern (D) Bob Rush (D) 11th December 28, 1976 Richard John Norpel (D) Steve Bisenius (R) 41st December 28, 1976 Bill Gluba (D) Forrest F. Ashcraft (R) 36th November 8, 1983 Michael R. Lura (R) John Soorholtz (R) 45th September 10, 1985 Norman Rodgers (D) James R. Riordan (D) 34th December 17, 1985 John A. Neighbour (D) John A. Peterson (D) 31st January 7, 1986 Lowell Junkins (D) Gene Fraise (D) 13th January 28, 1986 Thomas A. Lind (R) Jim Lind (R) 18th September 26, 1989 Robert M. Carr (D) Mike Connolly (D) 12th December 18, 1990 Joy Corning (R) Harry G. Slife (R) 44th December 17, 1991 Jack Nystrom (R) Albert Sorensen (D) 12th August 31, 1993 Harry G. Slife (R) Donald Redfern (R) 5th February 22, 1994 Linn Fuhrman (R) Mary Lou Freeman (R) 25th February 22, 1994 Richard J. Varn (D) Robert Dvorsky (D) 26th December 20, 1994 Paul Pate (R) Mary Lundby (R) 13th April 1997 Jim Lind (R) Patricia M. "Pat" Harper (D) 8th February 3, 1998 James E. Black (R) E. Thurman Gaskill (R) 46th January 12, 1999 Patty Judge (D) John Judge (D) 43rd June 12, 2001 Derryl McLaren (R) Hubert Houser (R) 39th February 19, 2002 Jo Ann M. Johnson (R) David G. Lord (R) 10th March 12, 2002 Merlin Bartz (R) Amanda Ragan (D) 26th January 14, 2003 Steve King (R) Steve Kettering (R) 30th February 3, 2004 Mary Kramer (R) Pat Ward (R) 48th January 4, 2011 Kim Reynolds (R) Joni Ernst (R) 35th January 18, 2011 Larry Noble (R) Jack Whitver (R) 18th November 8, 2011 Swati Dandekar (D) Liz Mathis (D) 22nd December 11, 2012 Pat Ward (R) Charles Schneider (R) 13th November 19, 2013 Kent Sorenson (R) Julian Garrett (R) 12th December 30, 2014 Joni Ernst (R) Mark Costello (R) 45th December 27, 2016 Joe Seng (D) Jim Lykam (D) 3rd December 12, 2017 Bill Anderson (R) Jim Carlin (R) 25th April 10, 2018 Bill Dix (R) Annette Sweeney (R) 30th March 19, 2019 Jeff Danielson (D) Eric Giddens (D) 41st January 26, 2021 Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) Adrian Dickey (R) 35th January 28, 2025 Chris Cournoyer (R) Mike Zimmer (D) 1st August 26, 2025 Rocky De Witt (R) Catelin Drey (D) 16th December 30, 2025 Claire Celsi (D) Renee Hardman (D)
Results 1913: District 39 • 1923: District 37 • 1933: District 4 • 1933: District 29 • 1933: District 35 • 1933: District 45 • 1944: District 2 • 1944: District 5 • 1945: District 28 • 1947: District 37 • 1963: District 15 • 1970: District 22 • 1972: District 47 • 1974: District 10 • 1976: District 15 • 1976: District 11 • 1976: District 41 • 1983: District 36 • 1985: District 45 • 1985: District 34 • 1986: District 31 • 1986: District 13 • 1989: District 18 • 1990: District 12 • 1991: District 44 • 1993: District 12 • 1994: District 5 • 1994: District 25 • 1994: District 26 • 1998: District 8 • 1999: District 46 • 2001: District 43 • 2002: District 39 • 2002: District 10 • 2003: District 26 • 2004: District 30 • 2011: District 48 • 2011: District 35 • 2011: District 18 • 2012: District 22 • 2014: District 12 • 2016: District 45 • 2017: District 3 • 2018: District 25 • 2019: District 30 • 2021: District 41 • 2025: District 35 • 2025: District 1 • 2025: District 16
1913: District 39
1923: District 37
1933: District 4
1933: District 29
1933: District 35
1933: District 45
1944: District 2
1944: District 5
1945: District 28
1947: District 37
1963: District 15
1970: District 22
1972: District 47
1974: District 10
1976: District 15
1976: District 11
1976: District 41
1983: District 36
1985: District 45
1985: District 34
1986: District 31
1986: District 13
1989: District 18
1990: District 12
1991: District 44
1993: District 12
1994: District 5
1994: District 25
1994: District 26
1998: District 8
1999: District 46
2001: District 43
2002: District 39
2002: District 10
2003: District 26
2004: District 30
2011: District 48
2011: District 35
2011: District 18
2012: District 22
2013: District 13
2014: District 12
2016: District 45
2017: District 3
2018: District 25
2019: District 30
2021: District 41
2025: District 35
2025: District 1
2025: District 16
Notes
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