1970 Iowa Senate election


The 1970 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1970 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in 27 of the state senate's 50 districts. Due to redistricting following the amending of the Iowa Constitution in 1968 mandating single-member districts, the Iowa Senate downsized from 61 to 50 members following the 1970 election. State senators typically serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.
The Iowa General Assembly provides statewide maps of each district. To compare the effect of the 1968 redistricting process on the location of each district, contrast the with the .
The primary election on June 2, 1970 determined which candidates appeared on the November 3, 1970 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here. General election results can be obtained here.
Following the previous election, Republicans had control of the Iowa state Senate with 45 seats to Democrats' 16 seats. In June 1969, a special election in district 18 resulted in Sen. Orr flipping a seat in favor of the Democrats. Therefore, on election day in November 1970, Republicans controlled 44 seats and Democrats had 17.
To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 9 Senate seats.
Republicans maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1970 general election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 38 seats and Democrats having 12 seats.

Summary of Results

  • The Iowa Constitution was amended in 1968 and required transitioning to single-member districts. Following the 1970 elections, the total number of state Senators fell from 61 to 50 members. 27 districts were up for election in 1970.
  • An asterisk after a Senator's name indicates they were an incumbent in a new district number due to redistricting.
  • Italicized district numbers indicate holdover Senators who were not up for election in 1970, but were shifted to new district numbers in the middle of their terms. These districts did not hold elections in 1970.
Source:

Detailed Results

  • Reminder: A change to the Iowa Constitution required transitioning to all single-member districts from 1970 onward.

[|District 6] • [|District 12] • [|District 13] • [|District 14] • [|District 16] • [|District 17] • [|District 19] • [|District 21] • [|District 22] • [|District 23] • [|District 24] • [|District 25] • [|District 26] • [|District 27] • [|District 29] • [|District 31] • [|District 33] • [|District 34] • [|District 36] • [|District 37] • [|District 38] • [|District 41] • [|District 43] • [|District 45] • [|District 46] • [|District 49] • [|District 50]

  • Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary.

District 21

District 22

  • Sen. Weimer did not take his seat in district 22 after winning re-election.