The Political Graveyard: Iowa: Secretaries of State

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Iowa: Secretaries of State

Iowa Secretaries of State, 1846-2006 (May be incomplete!)
Elisa Cutler, Jr. 1846-48 Josiah H. Bonney 1848-50 George W. McCleary 1850-56 Elijah Sells 1856-63 James Wright 1863-67 Ed Wright 1867-73 Josiah T. Young 1873-79 John A. T. Hull 1879-85 Frank D. Jackson 1885-91 William M. McFarland 1891-97 George L. Dobson 1897-1901 William B. Martin 1901-07 William C. Hayward 1907-13 William S. Allen 1913-19 W. C. Ramsey 1919-28 Ed M. Smith 1928-31 Gilbert C. Greenwalt 1931-33 Mrs. Alex Miller 1933-37 Robert E. O'Brian 1937-39 Earl G. Miller 1939-43 Wayne N. Ropes 1943-47 Rollo H. Bergeson 1947-49 Melvin D. Synhorst 1949-65 Gary L. Cameron 1965-66 Melvin D. Synhorst 1967-80 Mary Jane Odell 1980-83 Elaine Baxter 1987-92 Paul Pate 1995-98 Chet Culver 1999-2006

Events and Candidates (may be incomplete!)

1880: Timothy O. Walker (Dem), defeated.

1898 Nov 8: George L. Dobson (Rep), elected; Claude R. Porter (Dem), defeated; Malcolm Smith (Prohibition), defeated; R. M. Daniels (People's), defeated; A. C. Swanholm (Socialist Labor), defeated.

1900 Nov 6: William B. Martin (Rep), elected; S. B. Crane (Dem), defeated; S. O. Pillsbury (Prohibition), defeated; C. Wirth (Social Democratic), defeated; T. G. Wheeler (People's), defeated; J. M. Kremer (Socialist Labor), defeated; E. W. Sage (United Christian), defeated.

1902 Nov 4: William B. Martin (Rep), elected; Richard Burke (Dem), defeated; W. Howard (Prohibition), defeated; W. A. Jacobs (Socialist), defeated.

1904 Nov 8: William B. Martin (Rep), elected; Charles A. Dickson (Dem), defeated; John E. Shank (Socialist), defeated; Albert J. Bolster (Prohibition), defeated; John C. Ferris (People's), defeated.

1906 Nov 6: William C. Hayward (Rep), elected; J. S. McLuen (Dem), defeated; Charles R. Oyler (Socialist), defeated; D. R. Dungan (Prohibition), defeated; W. E. Macomber (People's), defeated.

1908 Nov 3: William C. Hayward (Rep), elected; Julius Ruge (Dem), defeated; H. M. Humphrey (Prohibition), defeated; William Strauss (Socialist), defeated; Harry H. Mix (Independence), defeated; J. N. Martin (People's), defeated.

1910 Nov 8: William C. Hayward (Rep), elected; A. J. Anders (Dem), defeated; Lee W. Lang (Socialist), defeated; Byron E. Youtz (Prohibition), defeated.

1912 Nov 5: William S. Allen (Rep), elected; Charles B. Murtagh (Dem), defeated; Harry A. Morey (Progressive), defeated; E. G. Popejoy (Socialist), defeated; P. G. Watson (Prohibition), defeated.

1914 Nov 3: William S. Allen (Rep), elected; John D. Denison (Dem), defeated; W. J. Sinyard (Progressive), defeated; J. J. Jacobson (Socialist), defeated; R. H. Williams (Prohibition), defeated.

1916 Nov 7: William S. Allen (Rep), elected; William G. Noth (Dem), defeated; Herman G. Altenberger (Socialist), defeated; Carl S. Lewis (Prohibition), defeated; D. W. Patterson (Progressive), defeated.

1930: Flora Cotton Etter (Dem), defeated.

1937 Jan 26: Robert E. O'Brian, appointed.

1938: Robert E. O'Brian (Dem), defeated.

1948: Melvin D. Synhorst (Rep), elected.

1950: Melvin D. Synhorst (Rep), elected.

1970 Nov 3: Melvin D. Synhorst (Rep), elected; Robinson (Dem), defeated.

1980: Melvin D. Synhorst, resigned.

1994 Jun 7: Paul Pate (Rep), nominated.

1994 Nov 8: Paul Pate (Rep), elected.

1998 Nov 3: Chet Culver (Dem), elected.

"Enjoy the hospitable entertainment of a political graveyard."
Henry L. Clinton, Apollo Hall, New York City, February 3, 1872

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