The 1982 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1982 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in 29 of the state senate's 50 districts—all 25 of the odd-numbered seats were up for regularly scheduled elections to four-year terms and, due to the oddities of redistricting following the 1980 Census, four of the even-numbered seats were up as well. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats traditionally up for election each cycle.
The Iowa General Assembly provides statewide maps of each district. To compare the effect of the 1981 redistricting process on the location of each district, contrast the previous map with the map used for 1982 elections.
The primary election on June 8, 1982, determined which candidates appeared on the November 2, 1982 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here. General election results can be obtained here.
Following the previous election in 1980, Republicans had control of the Iowa state Senate with 29 seats to Democrats' 21 seats.
To take control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 5 Senate seats.
Democrats flipped control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1982 general election, with Democrats holding 28 seats and Republicans having 22 seats after the election (a net gain of 7 seats for the Democrats).
In 1982, after winning his election in the forty-third senatorial district, Thomas Mann became the first Black person elected to the Iowa Senate.
Summary of Results NOTE: 21 of the 25 even-numbered districts did not have elections in 1982 so they are not listed here. Also note, an asterisk (*) after a Senator's name indicates they were an incumbent re-elected, but to a new district number due to redistricting. State Senate DistrictIncumbent PartyElected Senator Party 1st Lucas DeKoster Rep Milo Colton Democratic 2nd Richard Vande Hoef Rep Donald V. Doyle* Democratic 3rd Arne F. Waldstein Rep Douglas J. Ritsema Republican 5th Ray Taylor Rep Arne F. Waldstein* Republican 6th Alvin V. Miller Dem Lee Warren Holt Republican 7th Arthur Gratias Rep C. Joseph Coleman* Democratic 9th Dale L. Tieden Rep Ray Taylor* Republican 11th Stephen W. Bisenius Rep John W. Jensen* Republican 13th Arthur R. Kudart Rep Thomas A. Lind Republican 15th Robert Rush Dem Arthur Gratias* Republican 16th James V. Gallagher Dem Dale L. Tieden* Republican 17th Richard L. Comito Rep Joseph J. Welsh Democratic 19th John W. Jensen Rep Norman J. Goodwin* Republican 21st John S. Murray Rep Patrick J. Deluhery* Democratic 23rd C. Joseph Coleman Dem Arthur A. Small* Democratic 24th Elvie C. Dreeszen Rep Hurley Hall Democratic 25th Clarence S. Carney Rep Wally Horn Democratic 27th Jack W. Hester Rep Joe Brown* Democratic 29th Norman Rodgers Dem Jack Rife Republican 31st Gary L. Baugher Rep Lowell Junkins* Democratic 33rd Julia Gentleman Rep Donald Gettings Democratic 35th Joe Brown Dem Bill Dieleman Democratic 37th Arthur A. Small Dem Charles Hughes Bruner Democratic 39th Norman J. Goodwin Rep William D. Palmer* Democratic 41st Patrick J. Deluhery Dem Julia Gentleman* Republican 43rd Lowell Junkins Dem Thomas Mann Democratic 45th Sue Yenger Rep Norman Rodgers* Democratic 47th Richard Ramsey Rep Calvin Hultman* Republican 49th Calvin Hultman Rep Jack W. Hester* Republican
Source:
Detailed Results Reminder: All odd-numbered Iowa Senate seats were up for election to full four-year terms in 1982, as well as four even-numbered seats that had elections for two-year terms due to the oddities caused by redistricting. All other even-numbered districts did not have elections in 1982 & are not shown. District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 9 • District 11 • District 13 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 19 • District 21 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 27 • District 29 • District 31 • District 33 • District 35 • District 37 • District 39 • District 41 • District 43 • District 45 • District 47 • District 49__NOTOC__ Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 9
District 11
District 13
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 19
District 21
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 27
District 29
District 31
District 33
District 35
District 37
District 39
District 41
District 43
District 45
District 47
District 49
See also United States elections, 1982 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 1982 Elections in Iowa
References