DES MOINES, IOWA (August 12, 2026) — The Iowa Secretary of State’s annual Straw Poll is returning for the 2026 Iowa State Fair, Iowa Sec of State Paul Pate has announced. The “unscientific” straw poll encourages fairgoers to cast an unofficial “vote” for their preferred candidates in the upcoming November election. This year, the poll will provide Iowans the opportunity to choose their preferred candidates for governor, US Congress, and US Senate.

DES MOINES, IOWA (July 23, 2026) — Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate presented the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award to two groups of Iowans who have demonstrated meaningful commitment to addressing civil rights issues and bringing about authentic change in their communities. Nominations for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award were open to Iowa residents aged 25 years or under.

This year’s honorees are:

DES MOINES, IOWA (October 23, 2025) — As the 2025 City-School Election approaches, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and members of Iowa’s election security team are reinforcing Iowa’s election security with voters. Thanks to numerous safeguards in place to protect the integrity of Iowa elections, Iowa remains a top-ranked state for election administration.