The 1964 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1964 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in 39 of the state senate's 59 districts. At that 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 50 to 59 members and new district maps were drawn for the 1964 election. The Iowa General Assembly provides statewide maps of each district. To compare the effect of the 1964 redistricting process on the location of each district, contrast the previous map with the map used for 1964 elections.
The primary election on June 1, 1964 determined which candidates appeared on the November 3, 1964 general election ballot.[2][3]
Following the previous election, Republicans had control of the Iowa state Senate with 38 seats to Democrats' 12 seats.
To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 18 Senate seats.
Democrats flipped control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1964 general election with the balance of power shifting to Democrats holding 34 seats and Republicans having 25 seats (a net gain of 22 seats for Democrats and net loss of 13 seats for Republicans).[a]
Summary of Results[]
Note: The 20 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).
District 2[]
Iowa Senate, District 2 Republican Primary Election, 1964
The 17th remained a 2-member district following the 1964 election. Subdistrict No. 1 held an election; however, Subdistrict No. 2 had a holdover Senator.
Iowa Senate, District 17 Subdistrict No. 1 General Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Joseph W. Cassidy
26,083
54.1
Republican
Riley Dietz
21,965
45.5
Independent
William A. Dare, Sr.
190
0.4
Total votes
48,238
100.0
Democratichold
District 19[]
Iowa Senate, District 19 General Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Howard Tabor
8,746
55.2
Republican
Roy A. Miller
7,099
44.8
Total votes
15,845
100.0
Democraticgain from Republican
District 20[]
The 20th was a 2-member district following the 1964 election. Subdistrict No. 1 held an election for a four-year term; whereas, Subdistrict No. 2 held an election for a two-year term.
Iowa Senate, District 20 Subdistrict No. 1 General Election, 1964
Iowa Senate, District 24 Republican Primary Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Max Milo Mills
1,743
74.9
Republican
John Knudson
584
25.1
Total votes
2,327
100.0
Iowa Senate, District 24 General Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Max Milo Mills
7,788
51.0
Democratic
Carroll Paul
7,494
49.0
Total votes
15,282
100.0
Republicanhold
District 26[]
Iowa Senate, District 26 Republican Primary Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
William A. Singer
1,777
54.1
Republican
David A. Norris
1,013
30.8
Republican
Samuel H. Thompson
495
15.1
Total votes
3,285
100.0
Iowa Senate, District 26 General Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Daryl H. Nims
9,681
50.02
Republican
William A. Singer
9,675
49.98
Total votes
19,356
100.0
Democraticgain from Republican
District 27[]
The 27th was a 3-member district following the 1964 election. Subdistrict No. 1 held an election for a four-year term. Subdistrict No. 2 had a holdover Senator . Subdistrict No. 3 held an election for a two-year term.[i]
Iowa Senate, District 27 Subdistrict No. 1 General Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Howard C. Reppert, Jr.
68,894
65.6
Republican
Robert E. Dreher
35,673
33.9
Independent
Robert W. Kernes
557
0.5
Total votes
105,124
100.0
Iowa Senate, District 27 Subdistrict No. 3 General Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
William F. Denman
65,023
61.5
Republican
Robert E. Mannheimer
39,976
37.8
Independent
Norman W. Richardson
693
0.7
Total votes
105,692
100.0
District 28[]
Iowa Senate, District 28 Republican Primary Election, 1964
Iowa Senate, District 33 Republican Primary Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Kenneth L. Parker
2,262
54.0
Republican
Betty A. O'Brien
1,927
46.0
Total votes
4,189
100.0
Iowa Senate, District 33 General Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
John W. Patton
8,813
54.9
Republican
Kenneth L. Parker
7,238
45.1
Total votes
16,051
100.0
Democraticgain from Republican
District 34[]
The 34th was a 2-member district following the 1964 election. Subdistrict No. 1 held an election for a four-year term; however, Subdistrict No. 2 held a special election due to the resignation of holdover Senator Robert D. Fulton who was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1964.[l]
Iowa Senate, District 34 Subdistrict No. 1 General Election, 1964
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Gene F. Condon
26,958
54.9
Republican
Willard R. Hansen
22,114
45.1
Total votes
49,072
100.0
Democratichold
Iowa Senate, District 34 Subdistrict No. 2 Special Election, 1964
The 39th was a 2-member district following the 1964 election. Subdistrict No. 1 held an election for a four-year term; however, Subdistrict No. 2 held an election for a two-year term.[o]
Iowa Senate, District 39 Subdistrict No. 1 General Election, 1964
^The 51st district was newly created following redistricting.
^ abThe 52nd district was newly created following redistricting.
^The 53rd district was newly created following redistricting.
^Multi-member districts in the electoral map of 1964 elections were: 17th with 2 seats; 20th with 2 seats; 27th with 3 seats; 34th with 2 seats; and, 39th with 2 seats. Remember, in 1964, multi-member districts still existed in the Iowa Senate.