Secretary of State
November 3, 2026 · Iowa · Statewide · general
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Average · 59 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 3,210,507 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(39,287,377 ÷ 3,210,507) ÷ ln(39,287,377 ÷ 582,397) = 59.47, comparing all statewide districts nationwide (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Average representation + unknown decisiveness → Average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
Secretary of State is responsible for:
- Running state elections and certifying the results
- Keeping official state records and documents
- Registering businesses that operate in the state
Affected Areas: Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Election Integrity, Data Privacy, Civil Rights
Candidates
Paul D. Pate
Republican · Incumbent · declared
Paul D. Pate is Iowa's Secretary of State. His official biography describes his service as Secretary of State, former mayor of Cedar Rapids, and former state legislator, and highlights his work on Iowa election administration, business services, Safe at Home, and Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking.
Records: Civil Rights 2 for, Data Privacy 1 for, Election Integrity 4 for, Government Efficiency 2 for
Ryan Peterman
Democratic · declared
Ryan Peterman is a Democratic candidate for Iowa Secretary of State. His campaign biography says he grew up in Bettendorf, served as a Naval Officer and Naval Aviator, worked on defense policy in the U.S. Senate as a Defense Fellow, and helped lead honor education at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Election sources
Source: sos.iowa.gov
Source: sos.iowa.gov