30-Second Summary:

The majority of elections held in Iowa this past November were to decide who would serve on school boards and city councils across the state, and statewide turnout for those races was just 16.1% of Iowa’s 2.1 million registered voters. However, 58 communities also had a local bond question on the ballot. Ideally, turnout in these elections would be high so that spending decisions, many of which will shape property tax bills for the next two decades, reflect the voice of the broader community. That proved to be the case: participation in the bond elections averaged 37.1%, suggesting Iowans were far more motivated to vote when they had a direct say in decisions affecting their future property taxes than when voting only for school board or city council seats.

Results Breakdown

Of the 58 bond proposals, there were 44 for school districts, 2 for community colleges, 2 for counties, and 10 for cities. The highest turnout was seen in the IKM-Manning CSD where 67.7% of voters participated in voting on a proposal asking for added classrooms, a secure entrance, common areas, HVAC, and track and field improvements (the bond failed). The lowest turnout was 14.2% for the City of Ames’ bond to build a new fire station (the bond passed).

How Does This Election Compare?

For years local bond elections in Iowa suffered from chronically low participation. Reforms over the years have been targeted at increasing higher voter turnout, culminating in the May 2023 reform that moved all bond elections to November.

Since implementation of this law, Iowa has held three November bond cycles:

• November 2023: 45 bonds; 34.1% average turnout (range 15.8%–56%)
• November 2024: 48 bonds; 69.4% average turnout (range 14.0%–83.7%) — boosted by the presidential election
• November 2025: 58 bonds; 37.1% average turnout (range 14.2%–67.7%)

While only three elections cannot provide enough data from which to draw definitive conclusions, it does seem that turnout for bond elections is increasing.

Why Turnout Matters for Bond Elections

Democracies function best when broad participation legitimizes decisions and reflects community priorities. Higher turnout produces more representative results, improves accountability, reduces cynicism and increases trust. Because bond elections specifically can affect property taxes for decades, higher voter turnout helps ensure those long-term commitments truly are the will of the people.

Citizen engagement is a foundational pillar of democracy and Iowa has long prided itself on voter participation—especially during presidential caucuses—but that same engagement has not always carried over into local bond elections.  If Iowans are serious about their demands for transparency, accountability, and responsible long-term spending, they must show up to vote whenever they’re given the chance.

November 2025 Local Bond Election Voter Turnout and Results

*For more details on each bond, CLICK HERE.