The Green Papers: Iowa 2008 General Election
This page is for offices up for election in 2008. Find 2009 elections here.
 
Flag images courtesy of The World Flag Database. Copyright http://www.flags.net/ Iowa
Elections for Statewide offices and Congress
Primary: Tuesday 3 June 2008
General Election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
Electoral Votes:7(1.30% of 538)
Governor:1 
Senators:2(Electoral Classes 2 and 3)
2002-2010 Representatives:5(1.15% of 435)
2000 Census:2,931,923 (1.04% of 281,998,273)
Estimated Voting age population (November 2000):2,165,000
Registered Voters (November 2000):1,841,346
Capital:Des Moines
Tuesday 3 June 2008 polling hours 7:00a CDT (1200 UTC) to 9:00p CDT (0200 UTC).
Tuesday 4 November 2008 polling hours 7:00a CST (1300 UTC) to 9:00p CST (0300 UTC).
 

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Iowa State and Local Government

Iowa 2008 Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions:
Democrats, Republicans, Third Parties

24 November 2008: State of Iowa Official Canvass Summary - November 4, 2008 General Election.

25 September 2008: Synchronized with Iowa Secretary of State - General Election Candidate List.

3 June 2008 primary returns from an official source. The Republican U.S. Senate and CD 2 U.S. House races are very close. The recount request deadline is 5:00 Friday 13 June 2008.

Under State law, a candidate in a Primary must receive at least 35% of the vote in that Primary to win a Party's nomination. If no candidate receives 35% in the Primary, the nominee is chosen by the State Convention of the Party.

 
           
President  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2008, 2012. Term Limit: No more than 2 4-year terms in a lifetime. Electors: 7 (Winner-take-all), How Appointed, Meeting Place, Duly Appointed Presidential Electors, List of Presidential Candidates.
Up for election in 2008
  Elected Democratic 828,940 53.69% Senator Barack Hussein Obama
(7 Electoral Votes)
• Vice President: Senator Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr.
• FEC P80003338: $778,642,047
  Candidate Republican 682,379 44.20% Senator John Sidney McCain, III
• Vice President: Governor Sarah H. Palin
• FEC P80002801: $399,826,076
  Candidate Peace And Freedom 8,014 0.52% Ralph Nader
• Vice President: Matt Gonzalez
• FEC P20000527: $4,520,160
  Candidate Scattering 6,737 0.44% SCATTERING
  Candidate Libertarian 4,590 0.30% former Congressman Bob Barr
• Vice President: Wayne Allyn Root
• FEC P80005580: $1,405,899
  Candidate Scattering 4,504 0.29% UNDER VOTES
  Candidate Constitution 4,445 0.29% Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin
• Vice President: Darrell L. Castle
• FEC P80005499: $262,010
  Candidate Scattering 2,338 0.15% OVER VOTES
  Candidate Green 1,423 0.09% former Congressman Cynthia A. McKinney
• Vice President: Rosa A. Clemente
• FEC P80004930: $240,360
  Candidate Socialist Workers Party 292 0.02% James E. Harris
• Vice President: Alyson Kennedy. The Party's Presidential nominee, Róger Calero, having been born in Nicaragua, does not meet the Constitutional requirements for President.
  Candidate Socialist Party USA 182 0.01% Brian Patrick Moore
• Vice President: Stewart A. Alexander
• FEC P80005275: $9,516
  Candidate Socialism and Liberation 121 0.01% Gloria Estela La Riva
• Vice President: Robert Moses
• FEC P80005572: $24,441
    Write-in     Frank Moore - apparently not a candidate
• Vice President: Susan Block
Total 1,543,965 100.00%  
U.S. Senate  6 year term. No Term Limit. 110th Senate  Senate Electoral Classes
Class 2
Seat up for election		 Democratic Senator Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
• First elected: 1984; re-elected: 1990, 1996; 2002, 2008
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982]
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
• Renominated - 3 June 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Senator Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin
  Elected Democratic 941,665 61.36% Senator Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin
• FEC S4IA00020: $6,358,882
  Candidate Republican 560,006 36.49% Christopher Reed
• Received 35.26% in the 3 June primary.
• FEC S8IA00104: $59,087
  Candidate Scattering 31,500 2.05% UNDER VOTES
  Candidate Write-in 1,247 0.08% SCATTERING
  Candidate Scattering 344 0.02% OVER VOTES
    Write-in; (Socialist Workers Party)     Diana Newberry - apparently not a candidate
Total 1,534,762 100.00%  
Class 3 Republican Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley
• First elected: 1980; re-elected: 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004.
[also served in U.S. House- elected: 1974, 1976, 1978]
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Term Limit: None, All Governors
  Democratic Governor Chester "Chet" Culver
• First elected: 2006
• Chair up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Lieutenant Governor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010. Elected on a ticket with Governor.
  Democratic Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge
• First elected: 2006
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
110th U.S. House of Representatives  2 year term, Election Cycle 2006, 2008. No Term Limit. 110th House
Partisan Composition (primary disposition):
3 Democratic (3 Renominated);
2 Republican (2 Renominated)
CD 1
{map}
Seat up for election		 Democratic Congressman Bruce L. Braley
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
• First elected: 2006
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
• Renominated - 3 June 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman Bruce L. Braley
  Elected Democratic 186,991 62.81% Congressman Bruce L. Braley
• FEC H6IA01098: $1,150,967
  Candidate Republican 102,439 34.41% state Senator David L. "Dave" Hartsuch
• FEC H8IA01086: $55,222
  Candidate Scattering 8,042 2.70% UNDER VOTES
  Candidate Write-in 199 0.07% SCATTERING
  Candidate Scattering 39 0.01% OVER VOTES
Total 297,710 100.00%  
CD 2
{map}
Seat up for election		 Democratic Congressman David Wayne Loebsack
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
• First elected: 2006
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
• Renominated - 3 June 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman David Wayne Loebsack
  Elected Democratic 175,218 54.85% Congressman David Wayne Loebsack
• FEC H6IA02146: $887,184
  Candidate Republican 118,778 37.19% Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks
• FEC H8IA02043: $371,695
  Candidate Scattering 12,629 3.95% UNDER VOTES
  Candidate Green 6,664 2.09% Wendy Barth
• FEC H8IA02076: Financial report not available
  Candidate Nominated By Petition 5,437 1.70% Brian Alan White
• FEC H8IA02068: $6,883
  Candidate Scattering 436 0.14% OVER VOTES
  Candidate Scattering 261 0.08% SCATTERING
Total 319,423 100.00%  
CD 3
{map}
Seat up for election		 Democratic Congressman Leonard L. Boswell
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
• First elected: 1996
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
• Renominated - 3 June 2008 Primary
 Polls: Democratic Congressman Leonard L. Boswell
  Elected Democratic 176,904 54.64% Congressman Leonard L. Boswell
• FEC H6IA03144: $1,537,390
  Candidate Republican 132,136 40.81% Kim Schmett
• FEC H8IA03082: $157,300
  Candidate Scattering 9,430 2.91% UNDER VOTES
  Candidate Socialist Workers Party 4,599 1.42% Frank V. Forrestal
• FEC H8IA03090: Financial report not available
  Candidate Scattering 521 0.16% SCATTERING
  Candidate Scattering 161 0.05% OVER VOTES
Total 323,751 100.00%  
CD 4
{map}
Seat up for election		 Republican Congressman Thomas P. "Tom" Latham
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
• First elected: 1994
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
• Renominated - 3 June 2008 Primary
 Polls: Republican Congressman Thomas P. "Tom" Latham
  Elected Republican 185,458 58.96% Congressman Thomas P. "Tom" Latham
• FEC H4IA05102: $1,573,136
  Candidate Democratic 120,746 38.38% Rebecca "Becky" Greenwald
• FEC H8IA04056: $635,581
  Candidate Write-in 8,109 2.58% UNDER VOTES
  Candidate Scattering 197 0.06% SCATTERING
  Candidate Scattering 61 0.02% OVER VOTES
Total 314,571 100.00%  
CD 5
{map}
Seat up for election		 Republican Congressman Steven A. "Steve" King
• Re-elected Tuesday 4 November 2008
• First elected: 2002
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 4 November 2008
• Renominated - 3 June 2008 Primary
 Polls: Republican Congressman Steven A. "Steve" King
  Elected Republican 159,430 58.17% Congressman Steven A. "Steve" King
• FEC H2IA05072: $1,023,904
  Candidate Democratic 99,601 36.34% Rob Lewis Hubler
• FEC H8IA05053: $298,626
  Candidate Write-in 7,431 2.71% UNDER VOTES
  Candidate Independent 7,406 2.70% Victor Vara
• FEC H8IA05061: Financial report not available
  Candidate Scattering 180 0.07% SCATTERING
  Candidate Scattering 33 0.01% OVER VOTES
Total 274,081 100.00%  
Secretary of State  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010
  Democratic Secretary of State Michael A. Mauro
• First elected: 2006
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Attorney General  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010
  Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller
• First elected: 1978; re-elected: 1982, 1986; elected again: 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Treasurer  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010
  Democratic Treasurer Michael L. "Mike" Fitzgerald
• First elected: 1982; re-elected: 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Auditor  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010
  Republican Auditor David A. "Dave" Vaudt
• First elected: 2002; re-elected: 2006
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Secretary of Agriculture and Land Stewardship  4 year term, Election Cycle: 2006, 2010
  Republican Secretary of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Bill Northey
• First elected: 2006
• Seat up for election: Tuesday 2 November 2010
Political Parties    Parties appear in parenthesis and italics when a candidate receives the endorsement of a given Party and/or official sources indicate a candidate's association with a particular Party but only where the Party in question does not appear on the actual ballot as such.
Major Parties
 • Democratic (affiliates): 9 incumbents, 7 candidates
 • Republican: 5 incumbents, 7 candidates
Major Third Parties
 • Green (affiliates): 2 candidates
 • Libertarian: 1 candidate
Other Third Parties
 • Constitution (affiliates): 1 candidate
 • Socialism and Liberation: 1 candidate
 • Peace And Freedom: 1 candidate
 • Socialist Party USA: 1 candidate
 • Socialist Workers Party: 2 candidates
Independents
 • Independent: 1 candidate
 • Nominated By Petition: 1 candidate
Write-in/Scattered/otherwise not readily classifiable
 • Scattering: 17 candidates
 • Write-in: 4 candidates
 
Candidates running under the banner of more than one party are counted towards each party's total. A candidate who has lost a primary or is apparently no longer a candidate is not counted.
Notes
Candidates for office appear on this page in italics where 'The Green Papers' does not yet have independent confirmation from an election authority that the person so listed will actually appear on the ballot.
 
FEC indicates the Federal Election Commission (FEC) Campaign Finance Summary "Total Receipts" for candidates for Federal Office.
 

  2008 General Election Home  
 
  U.S. Senate Popular Vote and FEC Total Receipts by Party  
  Gubernatorial Popular Vote by Party  
  U.S. House Popular Vote and FEC Total Receipts by Party  
  Close Contests Summary - Decision by 2% or less  
  Contests Where No Candidate Received a Majority  
 
Electoral College
  Allocation       How Appointed       Meeting Place (15 December)  
  Duly Appointed Electors       Tabulation by Congress (8 January 2009)  
  THE "FAITHLESS ELECTORS" - Presidential Electors who have defected in the past  
  May Electors Defect?  
  DATES OF U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION "EVENTS": 1789 to the present  
  "APPARENT" ELECTORAL VOTE for President of the United States: 1856 to present  
  ELECTORAL VOTE for President of the United States (as pledged and as officially counted)  
  ELECTORAL VOTE for Vice President of the United States (as pledged and as officially counted)  
 
  Contests to Watch and Polling Data  
 
2008 Primaries and Runoffs for Statewide offices/Congress
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General Election Poll Closing Times
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  Gubernatorial Primaries at a Glance   --   Senatorial Primaries at a Glance  
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  Open Governor's Chairs, Senate and House Seats (the incumbent is not running for re-election)  
  Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats with no incumbent running for them  
  Uncontested Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats (one candidate running for office)  
  Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats with multiple incumbents running for them  
  Governor's Chairs, Senate, and U.S. House Seats with only one major party candidate running for office  
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  2008 Partisan Composition by State  
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  Political Parties  
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  Senate Electoral Classes  
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  1976-2004 Presidential Election State Voting Trends  
  Relative Political Party Strength in each State per Federal/State Elections  
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  Explanation of the Debate Scoring System