2000 United States presidential election in Iowa


The 2000 United States presidential election in Iowa took place on November 7, 2000, and was part of the 2000 United States presidential election. Voters chose 7 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for President and Vice President.
Iowa was won in 2000 by Vice President Al Gore by a margin of 0.32%, with a lead of less than five thousand votes over Texas Governor George W. Bush, while Green Party candidate Ralph Nader took 2.23% of the vote. Gore's win in Iowa marked the fourth consecutive victory for Democrats in the Hawkeye State. This was the most recent election where Iowa did not vote for the national Electoral College winner, while also being the last time a Republican won the presidency without carrying the state of Iowa, though it did side with the candidate who received more popular votes nationwide.

Caucuses

Results breakdown

By county

By congressional district

Bush won 3 of 5 congressional districts.
DistrictBushGoreRepresentative
43%53%Jim Leach
46%51%Jim Nussle
49%48%Leonard Boswell
50%48%Greg Ganske
55%42%Tom Latham

Electors

Technically the voters of Iowa cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. Iowa is allocated 7 electors because it has 5 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 7 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 7 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for President and Vice President. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.
The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 18, 2000 to cast their votes for President and Vice President. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.
The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All were pledged to and voted for Al Gore and Joe Lieberman:
  1. Jeff Heland
  2. Angelyn King
  3. Paulee Lipsman
  4. Emil Pavich
  5. John O'Brien
  6. Ernest Ricehill
  7. Evan Giesen
  8. David Tingwald