1. The Election Help Desk
2. Explore Iowa elections
3. Explore South Dakota elections

The Election Help Desk

As I work to keep up with the onslaught of news coming at us from every direction, I know one thing is clear: there is a lot of uncertainty around this year’s general elections. 

It seems like each morning when I open my inbox, some news has transpired that adds additional layers of complexities to this year’s election. We’re launching a new project - the  Election Help Desk - to help sort through it all and make sense of it for our readers. 

We’re tracking changes in voting information down to the state level. We’re tackling frequently asked questions like: “What is the process for challenging a ballot?” and “What happens if there is a tie in the Electoral College?” The uncertainty of results will expand down the ballot, too. When will state legislators be sworn into office? Can a state executive be sworn in but then lose the election later in a challenge?

As you know, details are changing daily, and we agree, it’s tough to keep up. With that in mind, we decided to bring these updates to email. Today, we are launching the Election Help Desk newsletter. Each edition will bring you changes and notifications of upcoming state deadlines, process changes, and lawsuits. We’ll dive into state voting information and even deliver a little dose of calm before sending you back on your way. 

Watch for your copy in your inbox today, and opt-in to keep receiving this daily email. Click here to make sure you’re on the send list. (Feel free to send your friends this link too, to keep them up to speed). And, if you have any burning questions you want to see answered, just reply to this email and let me know! I’ll make sure to get it in front of our team of experts.

We promise we won’t tell you to try turning 2020 off and on again. 

Learn more

       

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Explore Iowa elections

Let’s continue our second week of 50 States in 25 Days series, where we feature what to know about two states in each Brew issue leading up to Nov. 3. Here are the states we've highlighted so far:

• Alabama & Arkansas
• California & Texas
• North Carolina & Mississippi
• Illinois & Ohio
• Nebraska & Oregon
• Montana & New Mexico

We're going in order of when states held their primaries, so up next are Iowa and South Dakota.

On the ballot in Iowa

At the federal level, Iowa voters will elect six presidential electors, one U.S. Senator, and four U.S. Representatives. Both chambers of the state legislature are on the ballot, with 25 out of 50 seats up in the state Senate and all 100 state House districts. Four seats on the state supreme court and four intermediate appellate court seats are up for retention. Voters will also decide one statewide ballot measure.

Partisan data

• In the last 10 presidential elections, the Democratic candidate won the state six times and the Republican candidate won the state four times.
• Iowa had the most Pivot Counties of any state, with 31 counties that voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. That accounts for 15% of the 206 Pivot Counties nationwide.
• Both of Iowa's U.S. Senators—Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst—are Republicans.
• Democrats represent three of the state's U.S. House districts and Republicans represent one.
• Iowa has divided triplex control. It has a Republican governor, Democratic attorney general, and Republican secretary of state. It is one of 14 states in which each major party controls at least one of those offices. Iowa has had a divided triplex since 2011.
• Republicans hold a 32-18 majority in the state Senate and a 53-47 majority in the state House of Representatives. Because the governor is also a Republican, Iowa is one of 21 states with a Republican trifecta. Iowa gained this status after Republicans won control of the state Senate in the 2016 elections.

Battleground races

Here are four battleground elections in Iowa in 2020. All three House districts below have Democratic representatives and were won by Donald Trump (R) in the 2016 presidential election. 

• • U.S. Senate: Incumbent Joni Ernst (R), Theresa Greenfield (D), Rick Stewart (L), and Suzanne Herzog (I) are running in the election. In 2014, Ernst defeated Bruce Braley (D) 52.1% to 43.8%. Democrat Tom Harkin had held the seat since 1984. 
  • Iowa's 1st Congressional District: Incumbent Abby Finkenauer (D) and Ashley Hinson (R) are running. In the 2018 general election, Finkenauer challenged and defeated incumbent Rod Blum (R) 51.0% to 45.9%. 
  • Iowa's 2nd Congressional District: Rita Hart (D) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) are running. Incumbent Dave Loebsack (D), who was first elected in 2006, did not seek re-election. Loebsack defeated Chris Peters (R) 54.8% to 42.6%.
• Iowa's 3rd Congressional District: Incumbent Cindy Axne (D), David Young (R), and Bryan Holder (L) are running. The race is a rematch between all three. In 2018, Axne defeated Young 49% to 47%. Holder had 2%.

Ballot measures

• Iowa voters will decide one statewide measure on Nov. 3. The state constitution requires voters to decide on a constitutional convention question every 10 years. The question asks voters whether they want there to be a convention to revise the constitution or proposed amendments to it. Voters have rejected the last five constitutional convention questions.

Voting

• In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Iowa is automatically sending absentee/mail-in ballot applications to all active registered voters in the general election.
• Iowa does not require witnesses or notaries to sign absentee/mail-in ballot documents.  
• Absentee/mail-in ballots can be returned in person or by mail. A ballot returned in person must be received by 9 p.m. on Nov. 3. A ballot returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Nov. 2 and received by Nov. 9. Click here to check the status of your absentee/mail-in ballot.
• In 2018, mail-in ballots were 23.3% of the total votes cast.
• Iowa requires all voters to present identification at the polls. This identification does not have to include a photo. For more information about Iowa's voter ID requirements click here. 
• Iowa's early voting period opens on Oct. 5 and closes on Nov. 2. Iowa refers to "early voting" as "in-person absentee voting."
• Iowa election law states that ballots can be counted before Election Day. 
• In Iowa, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day. Iowa is in the Central time zone.

Explore South Dakota elections

On the ballot in South Dakota

At the federal level, South Dakota voters will elect three presidential electors, one U.S. Senator, and one U.S. Representative. Public utilities commissioner is the only state executive office up for election. Both chambers of the state legislature are on the ballot, with all 35 seats up in the state Senate and all 70 state House districts. One of the five seats on the state supreme court is up for retention. Voters will also decide on three statewide ballot measures.

Partisan data

• In 2016, Donald Trump (R) defeated Hillary Clinton (D) 62% to 32% in South Dakota. Lyndon Johnson was the last Democrat to win the state in a presidential election in 1964.
• Five of South Dakota’s 66 counties are Pivot Counties, accounting for 3.31% of the state’s population. Pivot Counties voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012, then Donald Trump (R) in 2016.
• Both of South Dakota’s U.S. Senators—John Thune and Mike Rounds—are Republicans.
• South Dakota’s Representative in the U.S. House—Dusty Johnson—is a Republican.
• South Dakota’s governor, attorney general, and secretary of state are all Republicans, meaning it is one of 19 states with a Republican triplex. It has held this status since Republicans won the governorship and secretary of state’s office in the 1978 elections.
• Republicans have a 30-5 majority in the state Senate and a 59-11 majority in the state House. Because the governor is also a Republican, South Dakota is one of 21 states with a Republican trifecta. Republicans gained a trifecta when they won a majority in the state Senate in 1994.

Battleground races

Ballotpedia has not identified any battleground races taking place in South Dakota this year.

Ballot measures

• South Dakota voters will decide three statewide measures on Nov. 3. Two are citizen initiatives, and the South Dakota legislature referred one.
• South Dakota is the first state to have both a medical marijuana initiative (Initiated Measure 26) and a recreational marijuana legalization initiative (Constitutional Amendment A) at the same election.
• Constitutional Amendment B would legalize sports betting in Deadwood and would require that net local revenue from such activity be dedicated to the Historic Restoration and Preservation of Deadwood.

Voting

• In South Dakota, any voter is eligible to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot.
• South Dakota does not require witnesses or notaries to sign voter absentee/mail-in ballot documents.  
• Absentee/mail-in ballots can be returned in person or by mail. Ballots returned in person must be received by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. Ballots returned by mail must also be received by Nov. 3. Click here to check the status of your absentee/mail-in ballot.
• In 2018, mail-in ballots made up 9.4% of the total votes cast.
• South Dakota requires all voters to present photo identification at the polls. For more information about South Dakota's voter ID requirements, click here. 
• South Dakota election law states that ballots cannot be counted until after polls close. 
• South Dakota's early voting period opened on Sept. 18 and closes on Nov. 2.
• Polls in South Dakota are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time on Election. South Dakota is split between the Central and Mountain time zones.

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