Iowa Guide

To view your current elected officials, click here.

Upcoming Election
Iowa General Election: Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Race for President
A
Kamala Harris (D) LEGALIZE, TAX, AND REGULATE DECRIMINALIZE MEDICAL USE

Vice President Kamala Harris pledges to federally legalize marijuana, ensuring that access to cannabis is “the law of the land."

If elected, she will "break down unjust legal barriers that hold Black men and other Americans back by legalizing marijuana nationally, working with Congress to ensure that the safe cultivation, distribution, and possession of recreational marijuana is the law of the land." 

The Democratic presidential nominee’s cannabis plan to "legalize marijuana at the federal level to break down unjust legal barriers that hold Black men and other Americans back" is part of what her campaign calls an "opportunity agend." (10/14/24)

As Vice President, Harris has repeatedly stated that Americans should not be incarcerated for marijuana use. She’s championed the Biden administration’s efforts to pardon low-level marijuana offenders and to loosen certain federal cannabis restrictions. And as the Democratic presidential nominee, she’s the first major party candidate to have ever called for the plant’s legalization and regulation. 

C
Donald Trump (R) DECRIMINALIZE

Following the passage of Congressional amendments limiting the Justice Department from taking prosecutorial actions against those in legal marijuana states, Former President Trump consistently issued signing statements indicating that he believed that he had the power to disregard these amendments because he believed them to be unconstitutional. (Source)

Regarding Florida's 2024 Amendment 3, Trump said, "someone should not be a criminal in Florida, when this is legal in so many other States.” (8/31/24)

Race for Vice President
A
Tim Walz (D) LEGALIZE, TAX, AND REGULATE DECRIMINALIZE MEDICAL USE

Governor Walz has been an outspoken proponent of adult-use marijuana legalization and in 2019 he ordered state agencies to begin taking steps to prepare for a change in law.

C
J.D. Vance (R)

Vance was among the nine members of the Senate Banking Committee who voted in the minority against the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act in September 2023. That bill is still pending floor action, and Democratic leadership has repeatedly described it as a priority without advancing it further, but Vance said he opposed it in part because he believes it would inadvertently make it easier for illicit operators to traffic other drugs such as fentanyl. Asked about his opposition to the legislation in April 2024, the senator argued that it “was crafted in such a way that actually would have opened up access to banking resources for fentanyl traffickers and others.” There’s no clear evidence that that’s the case, but Vance has more generally discussed his concerns with the fentanyl trade on several occasions. (7/15/24)

During a campaign event with the Milwaukee Police Association in Wisconsin, Vance said he spoke to a police officer who told him that "we’ve got fentanyl in our marijuana bags that our teenagers are using," echoing a claim about laced cannabis that’s been routinely contested by advocates and certain state regulators: "Look, I’m the parent of three young kids… A seven-year-old, a four-year-old and a two-year-old. We don’t have to worry about this yet, but I’m certain—because kids are kids—that one day, one of my kids is going to take something or do something that I don’t want them to take. But I don’t want that mistake to ruin their life. I want them to learn from it. I want their parents to be able to punish them. I don’t want our kids to make mistakes on American streets and have it take their lives away from them," he said, suggesting that he recognizes when his children grow up they may experiment with certain substances such as marijuana, but he’s more concerned with potentially lethal contamination. (8/16/24)

Race for U.S. House District 4
D
Randy Feenstra (R) NO MEDICAL USE

Has stated belief in power of CBD products, but will not support medical or recreational marijuana without "more research." (Letter to constituent, 6/21/21)

Race for State Senate District 4
C+
Tim Kraayenbrink (R) DECRIMINALIZE
Race for State Senate District 16
B-
Claire Celsi (D) LEGALIZE, TAX, AND REGULATE DECRIMINALIZE
Race for State Senate District 22
B+
Brad Zaun (R) MEDICAL USE

Sponsored a bill to significantly expand medical cannabis access

Race for State Senate District 34
Race for State Senate District 40
C
Art Staed (D)

Rep. Staed cosponsored a bill that would significantly reduce penalties for marijuana-related offenses. Also voted against expanding IA's medical marijuana program

Race for State House District 1
B
JD Scholten (D) LEGALIZE, TAX, AND REGULATE MEDICAL USE
Race for State House District 10
Race for State House District 17
Race for State House District 39
Race for State House District 52
Race for State House District 75
C
Race for State House District 86
C+
Dave Jacoby (D)

Sponsored a bill that would have rescheduled marijuana from a Schedule I substance to Schedule II. Also voted against a bill that placed strict eligibility requirements for access to medical marijuana (HF2589).

Your Elected Officials
Governor
D-
U.S. Senate
D
Joni Ernst (R) NO MEDICAL USE

While Senator Ernst has cosponsored the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 and voted to legalize medical cannabis oil, she opposed the legalization of medical cannabis in Iowa in 2015. Senator Ernst has also not supported the SAFE Banking Act, medical or adult-use legalization, or ending cannabis prohibition at the federal level. 

U.S. Senate
D
Chuck Grassley (R) MEDICAL USE

Sen. Chuck Grassley doesn’t support legalization for recreational use. He does support hemp production and medical marijuana, though with restrictions, and he continually calls for more studies on the question of marijuana use. (September 2022)

U.S. House District 1
U.S. House District 2
C
Ashley Hinson (R) MEDICAL USE
U.S. House District 4
D
Randy Feenstra (R) NO MEDICAL USE

Has stated belief in power of CBD products, but will not support medical or recreational marijuana without "more research." (Letter to constituent, 6/21/21)

State Senate District 4
C+
Tim Kraayenbrink (R) DECRIMINALIZE
State Senate District 6
State Senate District 9
B
State Senate District 11
State Senate District 15
State Senate District 16
B-
Claire Celsi (D) LEGALIZE, TAX, AND REGULATE DECRIMINALIZE
State Senate District 19
B+
Ken Rozenboom (R) MEDICAL USE
State Senate District 22
B+
Brad Zaun (R) MEDICAL USE

Sponsored a bill to significantly expand medical cannabis access

State Senate District 23
B
State Senate District 31
C-
State Senate District 33
State Senate District 40
?
Todd Taylor (D) LEGALIZE, TAX, AND REGULATE DECRIMINALIZE MEDICAL USE
State Senate District 43
B
State House District 1
B
JD Scholten (D) LEGALIZE, TAX, AND REGULATE MEDICAL USE
State House District 12
C+
State House District 75
C
State House District 80
C
Art Staed (D)

Rep. Staed cosponsored a bill that would significantly reduce penalties for marijuana-related offenses. Also voted against expanding IA's medical marijuana program

State House District 86
C+
Dave Jacoby (D)

Sponsored a bill that would have rescheduled marijuana from a Schedule I substance to Schedule II. Also voted against a bill that placed strict eligibility requirements for access to medical marijuana (HF2589).

State House District 87