1972 Iowa Senate election

The 1972 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1972 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in all of the state senate's 50 districts—the 25 even-numbered seats were up for regularly-scheduled four-year terms and, due to the oddities of redistricting following the 1970 Census, the 25 odd-numbered seats were up for shortened two-year terms. State senators typically serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats traditionally up for election each cycle. The decennial census and redistricting process causes one cycle each decade to be disrupted.

1972 Iowa Senate election

November 7, 1972
50 out of 50 seats in the Iowa State Senate 26 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Clifton C. Lamborn Lee H. Gaudineer Party Republican Democratic Leader's seat 12th 32nd (retired) Last election 38 12 Seats before 37 13[lower-alpha 1] Seats after 28 22 Seat change 9 9
Majority Leader before election Clifton C. Lamborn Republican Elected Majority Leader Clifton C. Lamborn Republican

Elections in Iowa
Federal government Presidential elections 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Presidential caucuses Democratic 1976 1992 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Republican 2000 2008 2012 2016 2020 United States Senate elections 1974 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 United States House elections 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
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Des Moines Mayoral elections 1997 (special) 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019

The Iowa General Assembly provides statewide maps of each district. To compare the effect of the 1971 redistricting process on the location of each district, contrast the previous map with the map used for 1972 elections.

The primary election on June 6, 1972 determined which candidates appeared on the November 7, 1972 general election ballot. The Iowa Secretary of State only provides the names of candidates who ran in the 1972 primaries and does not report vote tallies. The primary candidates' names can be obtained here.[2] General election results can be obtained here.[3]

Following the previous election, Republicans had control of the Iowa state Senate with 38 seats to Democrats' 12 seats. In March 1971, a special election in district 11 resulted in G. William "Bill" Gross flipping a seat in favor of the Democrats. Therefore, on election day in November 1972, Republicans controlled 37 seats and Democrats had 13.

To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 13 Senate seats.

Republicans maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1972 general election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 28 seats and Democrats having 22 seats (a net gain of 9 seats for the Democrats).