Iowa Politics with Jeff Stein -- Tue. Sep. 08, 2026

Registration numbers at the home stretch.

I'm Jeff Stein with today's Iowa Politics Report.

Given the saturation nature of political coverage and advertising these days, it's sort of quaint to say that Labor Day yesterday marked the start of the general election campaign season.

After all, it used to.

And I dare say for many folks, especially political independence, this is the time that they start paying attention, provided they haven't already been turned off by the summertime political ads.

On the first of each month, the Iowa Secretary of State, as Commissioner of Elections, publishes a report on voter registration totals, and once again, my, but it's an interesting set of data.

In both of Eastern Iowa's congressional districts,

independent or no-party voters, far outpace Republicans, with Democrats a poor third in number.

In Northeast Iowa's second district, there are 190,000 no-party voters registered compared with 182,000 Republicans

and only 160,000 Democrats.

Meanwhile in Southeast Iowa's first district there are 198,000 no-party voters registered compared with 185,000 Republicans and only 170,000 Democrats.

Now obviously a no-party registrant may have leanings one way or another

But the bottom line is clear that those independents and their turnout will decide the races in those districts.

Small wonder then that the campaign adds for the candidates.

Don't tell you if the candidate is a Democrat or a Republican because they're chasing voters in the middle.

Republicans actually have the voter registration edge in South Central Iowa's third district, and that includes Des Moines.

There are 187,000 Republicans, compared with 178,000 no-party voters and 176,000 Democrats.

That's about as evenly split as you can get.

Far different story in western Iowa's fourth district where Republicans have a massive advantage 236,000 Republicans compared with 163,000 no-party voters and only 113,000 Democrats.

Takeaways from this are clear.

Democrats trail in partisan declaration by registered voters in each of Iowa's four congressional districts.

Now remember, these are drawn based solely on population with no consideration given to party affiliation.

Given the divisive nature of our political discourse these days, it will be interesting to see how conciliatory or open to work with the other side

These candidates on the November ballot will be, as we enter the home stretch toward November 3rd, just eight weeks from today.

They'll do it because, after all, that's where the voters are.

And that's the Iowa Politics Report for Tuesday, September 8th on Twitter, Instagram, Gitter, Threads and Truth Social at Iowa Politics.

I'm Jeff Stein on News Talk 1540, KXEL.