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.[1] State senators typically serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.

1970 Iowa Senate election
November 3, 1970
27 out of 50 seats in the Iowa State Senate
26 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Robert R. Rigler Andrew G. Frommelt
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 40th
(retired)		 30th
(lost re-election)[lower-alpha 1]
Last election 45 16
Seats before 44[lower-alpha 2] 17[lower-alpha 2]
Seats after 38 12
Seat change 6[lower-alpha 3] 5[lower-alpha 3]
Majority Leader before election

Robert R. Rigler
Republican

 Elected Majority Leader

Clifton C. Lamborn
Republican

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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 previous map with the map used for 1970 elections.

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.[2] General election results can be obtained here.[3]

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.[lower-alpha 2] 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.[lower-alpha 3]

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 (a net loss of 6 seats for Republicans and loss of 5 seats for the Democrats).[lower-alpha 3]

Summary of Results
  • The Iowa Constitution was amended in 1968 and required transitioning to single-member districts.[1] 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.[lower-alpha 4]
State Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
1st Wilson Lloyd Davis Rep Lucas DeKoster*[lower-alpha 5] Rep
2nd Charles George Mogged Rep Marvin Wesley Smith*[lower-alpha 6] Rep
3rd Donald Sherman McGill Dem Wayne D. Keith*[lower-alpha 7] Rep
4th Quentin V. Anderson Rep Herbert Luther "H.L." Ollenburg*[lower-alpha 8] Rep
5th James E. Briles Rep Vernon Kyhl*[lower-alpha 9] Rep
6th Earl G. Bass Rep George L. Shawver Rep
7th Robert R. Dodds Dem Floyd Gilley*[lower-alpha 10] Rep
8th Richard Lytle Stephens Rep S. J. Brownlee*[lower-alpha 11] Rep
9th Gene W. Glenn Dem Leigh Raymond Curran*[lower-alpha 12] Rep
10th Bass Van Gilst Dem Ralph Wilson Potter*[lower-alpha 13] Rep
11th Charles O. Laverty Rep Charles K. Sullivan*[lower-alpha 14] Rep
12th Glen E. Bortell Rep Alden J. Erskine*[lower-alpha 15] Rep
13th Thomas J. Frey Rep John Wesley Graham Rep
James W. Griffin Rep
14th W. R. Rabedeaux Rep Arthur A. Neu*[lower-alpha 16] Rep
15th Edward E. Nicholson Rep C. Joseph Coleman*[lower-alpha 17] Dem
Harold A. Thordsen Rep
16th Roger John Shaff Rep James A. Potgeter*[lower-alpha 18] Rep
17th Minnette Doderer Dem Rudy Van Drie Rep
18th Joan Orr Dem John L. Mowry*[lower-alpha 19] Rep
19th Eugene Marshall Hill Dem Francis L. Messerly*[lower-alpha 20] Rep
20th William F. Denman Dem W. Charlene Conklin*[lower-alpha 21] Rep
Lee H. Gaudineer Dem
George E. O'Malley Dem
William D. Palmer Dem
William J. "Bill" Reichardt Dem
21st Edwin Alan Shirley Dem Charles F. Balloun*[lower-alpha 22] Rep
22nd James F. Schaben Dem Cloyd E. Robinson[lower-alpha 23] Dem
23rd Clifton C. Lamborn Rep Tom Riley Rep
24th Ernest Kosek Rep Clifton C. Lamborn*[lower-alpha 24] Rep
Ralph Wilson Potter Rep
Jesse Donald Weimer Dem
25th Charles F. Balloun Rep John M. Walsh*[lower-alpha 25] Rep
26th John L. Mowry Rep Gene V. Kennedy Dem
27th Pearle P. DeHart Rep James F. Schaben*[lower-alpha 26] Dem
28th R. Dean Arbuckle Rep R. Dean Arbuckle Rep
29th Arthur A. Neu Rep Reinhold O. Carlson Rep
30th Andrew G. Frommelt Dem William D. Palmer*[lower-alpha 27] Dem
John M. Walsh Rep
31st Kenneth Lawrence Parker Rep George F. Milligan Rep
32nd W. Charlene Conklin Rep Lee H. Gaudineer*[lower-alpha 28] Dem
Chester O. Hougen Rep
Francis L. Messerly Rep
33rd James A. Potgeter Rep John E. Tapscott Dem
34th Hugh H. Clarke Rep Eugene Marshall Hill*[lower-alpha 29] Dem
35th C. Joseph Coleman Dem Minnette Doderer*[lower-alpha 30] Dem
36th Elmer F. Lange Rep W. R. Rabedeaux*[lower-alpha 31] Rep
37th Alden J. Erskine Rep Roger John Shaff*[lower-alpha 32] Rep
Charles K. Sullivan Rep
38th Leslie C. Klink Rep Edward E. Nicholson*[lower-alpha 33] Rep
39th Floyd Gilley Rep Harold A. Thordsen*[lower-alpha 34] Rep
40th Robert R. Rigler Rep James W. Griffin*[lower-alpha 35] Rep
41st Vernon Kyhl Rep Earl G. Bass*[lower-alpha 36] Rep
42nd Leigh Raymond Curran Rep James E. Briles*[lower-alpha 37] Rep
43rd Herbert Luther "H.L." Ollenburg Rep John C. Rhodes Rep
44th Wayne D. Keith Rep Bass Van Gilst*[lower-alpha 38] Dem
45th S. J. Brownlee Rep Richard Lytle Stephens*[lower-alpha 39] Rep
46th J. Leslie Leonard Rep Charles Peter Miller Dem
47th J. Henry Lucken Rep Charles O. Laverty*[lower-alpha 40] Rep
48th Marvin Wesley Smith Rep Quentin V. Anderson*[lower-alpha 41] Rep
49th Lucas DeKoster Rep Gene W. Glenn*[lower-alpha 42] Dem
50th Newly created district Wilson Lloyd Davis*[lower-alpha 43] Rep

Source:[4]

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 (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).

District 6
Iowa Senate, District 6 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George L. Shawver 1,243 48.1
Republican Emil Roloff 1,037 40.1
Republican Ray Fairholm 305 11.8
Total votes 2,585 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 6 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George L. Shawver 8,619 53.1
Democratic Herbert J. Max 7,605 46.9
Total votes 16,224 100.0
Republican hold

District 12
Iowa Senate, District 12 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Alden J. Erskine (incumbent)[lower-alpha 15] 6,778 52.8
Democratic Albert H. Gray 5,742 44.7
American Independent Lee E. Smith 319 2.5
Total votes 12,839 100.0
Republican hold

District 13
Iowa Senate, District 13 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican J. Wesley Graham 2,780 52.4
Republican Elmer F. Lange (incumbent)[lower-alpha 44] 2,526 47.6
Total votes 5,306 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 13 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican J. Wesley Graham 8,253 59.6
Democratic J. Ralph Rauch 5,605 40.4
Total votes 13,859 100.0
Republican hold

District 14
Iowa Senate, District 14 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arthur A. Neu (incumbent)[lower-alpha 16] 1,865 59.1
Republican Frank A. Crabb 1,292 40.9
Total votes 3,157 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 14 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arthur A. Neu (incumbent)[lower-alpha 16] 8,563 62.5
Democratic Mary Baumhover 5,145 37.5
Total votes 13,708 100.0
Republican hold

District 16
Iowa Senate, District 16 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James A. Potgeter (incumbent)[lower-alpha 18] 8,135 59.7
Democratic Rocco LaValle 5,496 40.3
Total votes 13,631 100.0
Republican hold

District 17
Iowa Senate, District 17 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rudy Van Drie 8,572 52.7
Democratic Barbara A. Koerber 7,691 47.3
Total votes 16,263 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 19
Iowa Senate, District 19 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Francis Messerly (incumbent)[lower-alpha 20] 9,425 53.8
Democratic Marvin E. Haugebak 8,093 46.2
Total votes 17,518 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 21
Iowa Senate, District 21 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles F. Balloun (incumbent)[lower-alpha 22] 8,053 52.4
Democratic Ernest Groth 7,314 47.6
Total votes 15,367 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 22
Iowa Senate, District 22 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic J. Donald Weimer (incumbent)[lower-alpha 45] 10,798 64.1
Republican Delmer Duffy 6,042 35.9
Total votes 16,840 100.0
Democratic hold
  • Sen. Weimer did not take his seat in district 22 after winning re-election.[lower-alpha 23]
Iowa Senate, District 22 Special Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cloyd E. Robinson[lower-alpha 23] 2,782 55.8
Republican Jesse G. Hunter 2,201 44.2
Total votes 4,983 100.0
Democratic hold

District 23
Iowa Senate, District 23 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Riley 2,492 66.3
Republican Ernest Kosek (incumbent)[lower-alpha 46] 1,268 33.7
Total votes 3,760 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 23 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Riley 11,461 61.2
Democratic John M. Ely, Jr. 7,257 38.8
Total votes 18,718 100.0
Republican hold

District 24
Iowa Senate, District 24 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Clifton C. Lamborn (incumbent)[lower-alpha 24] 9,260 58.1
Democratic John A. Holmes 6,675 41.9
Total votes 15,935 100.0
Republican hold

District 25
Iowa Senate, District 25 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John M. Walsh (incumbent)[lower-alpha 25] 10,874 58.0
Democratic Andrew G. Frommelt (incumbent)[lower-alpha 1] 7,865 42.0
Total votes 18,739 100.0
Republican hold

District 26
Iowa Senate, District 26 Democratic Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adolph W. Elvers 1,529 58.7
Democratic Gene V. Kennedy 1,074 41.3
Total votes 2,603 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 26 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene V. Kennedy 9,192 56.6
Republican Leslie C. Klink (incumbent)[lower-alpha 47] 7,048 43.4
Total votes 16,240 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 27
Iowa Senate, District 27 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William E. Darrington 1,902 48.2
Republican Thomas J. Frey (incumbent)[lower-alpha 48] 1,309 33.1
Republican Ernest L. Currie 740 18.7
Total votes 3,951 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 27 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James F. Schaben (incumbent)[lower-alpha 26] 9,445 59.1
Republican William E. Darrington 6,543 40.9
Total votes 15,988 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 29
Iowa Senate, District 29 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Reinhold O. Carlson 1,483 66.5
Republican Henry R. Simpson 746 33.5
Total votes 2,229 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 29 Democratic Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dan L. Johnston 1,576 45.4
Democratic Charles H. Day 1,204 34.7
Democratic Ralph P. Mascaro 690 19.9
Total votes 3,470 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 29 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Reinhold O. Carlson 9,646 49.9
Democratic Dan L. Johnston 9,317 48.2
American Independent James W. Parker 375 1.9
Total votes 19,338 100.0
Republican hold

District 31
Iowa Senate, District 31 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George F. Milligan 11,486 61.6
Democratic Howard C. Reppert, Jr. 7,164 38.4
Total votes 18,650 100.0
Republican hold

District 33
Iowa Senate, District 33 Democratic Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Tapscott 2,239 55.3
Democratic Jack E. Woods 1,808 44.7
Total votes 4,047 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 33 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Tapscott 7,591 67.4
Republican Joseph B. Joyce 3,664 32.6
Total votes 11,255 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 34
Iowa Senate, District 34 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Martin O. O'Connor 1,732 66.5
Republican Charles V. Dunham 874 33.5
Total votes 2,606 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 34 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eugene M. Hill (incumbent)[lower-alpha 29] 8,509 52.7
Republican Martin O. O'Connor 7,640 47.3
Total votes 16,149 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 36
Iowa Senate, District 36 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican W. R. Rabedeaux (incumbent)[lower-alpha 31] 4,137 62.1
Republican William B. Norton 2,530 37.9
Total votes 6,667 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 36 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican W. R. Rabedeaux (incumbent)[lower-alpha 31] 7,146 55.9
Democratic W. Minard Thomas 5,644 44.1
Total votes 12,790 100.0
Republican hold

District 37
Iowa Senate, District 37 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger J. Shaff (incumbent)[lower-alpha 32] 7,993 53.6
Democratic Robert W. Burke 6,933 46.4
Total votes 14,926 100.0
Republican hold

District 38
Iowa Senate, District 38 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Edward E. Nicholson (incumbent)[lower-alpha 33] 11,424 100.0
Total votes 11,424 100.0
Republican hold

District 41
Iowa Senate, District 41 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Earl Bass (incumbent)[lower-alpha 36] 2,409 42.1
Republican Leroy S. Miller 1,908 33.4
Republican Conrad Ossian 1,403 24.5
Total votes 5,720 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 41 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Earl Bass (incumbent)[lower-alpha 36] 9,123 69.7
Democratic Jacky Adams 3,973 30.3
Total votes 13,096 100.0
Republican hold

District 43
Iowa Senate, District 43 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John C. Rhodes 1,915 54.3
Republican Glen E. Bortell (incumbent)[lower-alpha 49] 1,614 45.7
Total votes 3,529 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 43 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John C. Rhodes 8,710 51.4
Democratic Alan Shirley (incumbent)[lower-alpha 50] 8,112 47.8
American Independent William R. Kuhns 138 0.8
Total votes 16,960 100.0
Republican hold

District 45
Iowa Senate, District 45 Republican Primary Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard L. Stephens (incumbent)[lower-alpha 39] 3,597 50.8
Republican Charles G. Mogged (incumbent)[lower-alpha 51] 3,488 49.2
Total votes 7,085 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 45 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard L. Stephens (incumbent)[lower-alpha 39] 7,923 56.5
Democratic William Stammerman 5,918 42.2
American Independent Ernest Beachy 189 1.3
Total votes 14,030 100.0
Republican hold

District 46
Iowa Senate, District 46 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles P. Miller 8,769 53.3
Republican Milton C. Titus 7,683 46.7
Total votes 16,452 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 49
Iowa Senate, District 49 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene W. Glenn (incumbent)[lower-alpha 42] 8,779 55.7
Republican Russell W. Harper 6,792 43.1
American Independent Phil Darner 192 1.2
Total votes 15,763 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 50
Iowa Senate, District 50 General Election, 1970
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Wilson L. Davis (incumbent)[lower-alpha 43] 8,469 52.4
Democratic Adrian Brinck 7,703 47.6
Total votes 16,172 100.0
  1. Minority Leader Frommelt was redistricted from district 30 to 25 and lost re-election against another incumbent, Senator John M. Walsh, who had also been redistricted from district 30 to 25.
  2. Republican Senator Kenneth Benda resigned and was replaced by Democratic Senator Joann Yessler Orr in district 18 following a special election on June 20, 1969.
  3. The overall size of the Iowa Senate decreased from 61 to 50 members, so both parties saw a decrease in size following the election of 1970.
  4. Except Sen. Arbuckle, who stayed in the same district number, the 28th, both before and after the redistricting process and was not up for election.
  5. Redistricted from district 49 to 1.
  6. Redistricted from district 48 to 2.
  7. Redistricted from district 44 to 3.
  8. Redistricted from district 43 to 4.
  9. Redistricted from district 41 to 5.
  10. Redistricted from district 39 to 7.
  11. Redistricted from district 45 to 8.
  12. Redistricted from district 42 to 9.
  13. Redistricted from district 24 to 10.
  14. Redistricted from district 37 to 11.
  15. Redistricted from district 37 to 12.
  16. Redistricted from district 29 to 14.
  17. Redistricted from district 35 to 15.
  18. Redistricted from district 33 to 16.
  19. Redistricted from district 26 to 18.
  20. Redistricted from district 32 to 19.
  21. Redistricted from district 32 to 20.
  22. Redistricted from district 25 to 21.
  23. Democratic Senator J. Donald Weimer was redistricted from district 24 to 22 and Weimer won the 22nd district general election in November 1970. However, he did not take office. In a special election in December, Democrat Cloyd E. Robinson won and kept the seat for the Democratic Party.
  24. Redistricted from district 23 to 24. Also note, district 24 transitioned from a 3-member district (2 Republicans & 1 Democrat) to single-member district (1 Republican).
  25. Redistricted from district 30 to 25.
  26. Redistricted from district 22 to 27.
  27. Redistricted from district 20 to 30. Also note, district 30 transitioned from a 2-member district (1 Republican & 1 Democrat) to single-member district (1 Democrat).
  28. Redistricted from district 20 to 32. Also note, district 32 transitioned from a 3-member district (3 Republicans) to single-member district (1 Democrat).
  29. Redistricted from district 19 to 34.
  30. Redistricted from district 17 to 35.
  31. Redistricted from district 14 to 36.
  32. Redistricted from district 16 to 37. Also note, district 37 transitioned from a 2-member district (2 Republicans) to single-member district (1 Republican).
  33. Redistricted from district 15 to 38.
  34. Redistricted from district 15 to 39.
  35. Redistricted from district 13 to 40.
  36. Redistricted from district 6 to 41.
  37. Redistricted from district 5 to 42.
  38. Redistricted from district 10 to 44.
  39. Redistricted from district 8 to 45.
  40. Redistricted from district 11 to 47.
  41. Redistricted from district 4 to 48.
  42. Redistricted from district 9 to 49.
  43. Redistricted from district 1 to 50.
  44. Redistricted from district 36 to 13.
  45. Redistricted from district 24 to 22.
  46. Redistricted from district 24 to 23.
  47. Redistricted from district 13 to 27.
  48. Redistricted from district 12 to 43.
  49. Redistricted from district 21 to 43.
  50. Redistricted from district 2 to 45.

See also

References
  1. "Redistricting Standards Historical Perspective". Iowa General Assembly. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  2. "Primary Election 1970 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  3. "General Election 1970 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  4. "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
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