The 1966 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1966 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in 32 of the state senate's 61 districts. At this time, the Iowa Senate still had several multi-member districts. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.
The Iowa Senate was expanded from 59 to 61 members and new district maps were drawn for the 1966 election. The Iowa General Assembly provides statewide maps of each district.[1]
The primary election on September 6, 1966, determined which candidates appeared on the November 8, 1966 general election ballot.[2][3]
Following the previous election, Democrats had control of the Iowa state Senate with 34 seats to Republicans' 25 seats.
To claim control of the chamber from Democrats, the Republicans needed to net 6 Senate seats.
Democrats maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1966 general election with the balance of power shifting to Democrats holding 32 seats and Republicans having 29 seats (a net gain of 4 seats for Republicans and net loss of 2 seats for Democrats).[a]
Summary of Results
Note: The 29 holdover Senators not up for re-election are listed here with asterisks (*).[4]
Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).
The 20th was a 5-member district following the 1966 election. Subdistrict No. 1 was held by holdover Senator Reppert. Subdistrict No. 4 held an election for a two-year term; whereas, subdistricts Nos. 2, 3, & 5 held elections for four-year terms.
The 24th was a 3-member district following the 1966 election. Subdistrict No. 1 was held by holdover Senator Ely. Subdistricts Nos. 2 & 3 held elections.
The 37th was a 2-member district following the 1966 election. Subdistrict No. 1 held a special election for a two-year term. Subdistrict No. 2 held an election for a four-year term.
^The 50th district became obsolete (done away with) following redistricting.
^The 51st district became obsolete (done away with) following redistricting.
^The 52nd district became obsolete (done away with) following redistricting.
^The 53rd district became obsolete (done away with) following redistricting.
^Multi-member districts in the electoral map of 1966 elections were: 13th with 2 seats; 15th with 2 seats; 20th with 5 seats; 24th with 3 seats; 30th with 2 seats; 32nd with 3 seats; and, 37th with 2 seats. Remember, in 1966, multi-member districts still existed in the Iowa Senate.