The Sam Adams Alliance - Building a network for liberty

Iowa Resource Guide

November 27, 2007

Sam Adams State Resource Guides are designed to help citizens get involved in their home state.

Do you have additional information that you'd like to see on this list? Please email your tips to resources@samadamsalliance.org.

Background

Iowa is primarily controlled by the Democrat Party even though the state went to Bush in 2004. It went to Clinton and Gore in the most recent previous elections. Iowa’s U.S. Senate representation is split and its U.S. House representation is 3-2 with the Democrats holding the majority. The governor, Chet Culver, is also a Democrat.

The Democrats also hold a majority in both houses of the Iowa General Assembly. In the Senate the split is 30-20 and in the House is it divided 53-47. Senators serve 4 year terms with half of the seats being up for election every 2 years. Representatives serve 2 year terms and are all up for election even-numbered years. Neither chamber imposes term limits on its members.

Iowa is well-known in the politically arena for holding the first presidential caucus every four years. The caucus is held in January of the election year and involves people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidate, rather than casting secret ballots, as is done in a primary election.

Issues

Initiative and Referendum

Iowa has no citizen or legislative initiative and referendum rights. There is also no recall of state or local officials.

Political Parties

Historically, Iowa has been a two-party state. In Iowa, the term "political party" refers to political organizations which have received two percent or more of the votes cast for president or governor in the "last preceding general election". So, Iowa only has recognized the Democrat and Republican parties. Third parties are referred to as nonparty political organizations. In 2005, the Libertarian and Green parties sued the state for unfairly barring voters from registering with their respective party. As a result, beginning on January 1, 2008, the state will recognize non-party political organizations on the state voter registration forms.

Thinks Tanks

Public Interest Institute
http://www.limitedgovernment.org/

Iowa Taxpayer’s Association
http://www.iowataxpayers.org/

Tax Education Foundation
http://www.taxeducationfoundation.org/

Action Groups

Iowans for Tax Relief
http://www.taxrelief.org/

Polk/Des Moines Taxpayers Association
http://www.polkdesmoinestaxpayers.org/

Iowa Freedom of Information Council
http://www.drake.edu/journalism/IFOICWebSite/index.html

Shrink Iowa Gov
http://shrinkiowagov.org/

Blogs

HawkeyeGOP
http://www.hawkeyegop.com/

Tusk and Talon
http://tuskandtalon.blogspot.com/