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.
Iowa has also received numerous awards in relation to election administration from the National Association of Secretaries of State and the Election Assistance Commission. Sec Pate credits the success of Iowa’s election processes to the state’s layered approach to election security and robust partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels.
“I am very proud of the work our team has done to ensure that Iowans have trust in our elections process. Iowa polling shows 91% of respondents to the 2024 Iowa Poll said they are confident in Iowa election results,” said Sec Pate.
“Election security is a year-round job, and our layered approach ensures Iowans’ votes are counted securely, fairly, and accurately. From public election equipment testing, paper ballots, and post-election audit to cyber-security measures and partnerships with our election security team — Iowans can head to the polls this November with confidence.”
Sec Pate and Iowa’s election security team meet on a regular basis to prepare for the upcoming election.
This team includes the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Iowa Department of Management, Division of Information Technology, the Iowa National Guard, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Iowa’s 99 county auditors and thousands of local election officials and poll workers.
Members of Iowa’s election security team are now reminding Iowans of their roles in securing Iowa elections.
"Iowa's election process is designed to ensure that voters can participate with confidence in a system that is safe and secure,” said John Benson, Director of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
“Our department is committed to our role in supporting the integrity and security of each election,"
“Intelligence and law enforcement communities at all levels of government have been tasked with ensuring our elections are safe and secure,” Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens said.
“Iowans respect and actively exercise their right to vote and do so with civility and integrity. We take our responsibility to protect this right seriously and will be aggressive in deterring any criminal effort to compromise our system of government.”
“In support of this year's election, the Department of Management, Division of Information Technology will be monitoring cyberthreats. The State of Iowa Security Operations Center will provide 24-hour-a-day cyberthreat monitoring and heightened support during this year’s elections,” said Shane Dwyer, State of Iowa Chief Information Security Officer.
Iowa’s City-School Elections are Tuesday, November 4. Polls are open 7AM-8PM. For more information on finding your polling place or to vote early absentee, visit voterready.iowa.gov.
