Paul Pate

Paul Pate was born in Ottumwa, Iowa. Pate's career experience includes working as a small business owner. He earned an associate degree from Kirkwood Community College in 1978.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am currently serving my third term as Iowa Secretary of State and State Commissioner of Elections. Was recently chosen as the co-chair of the prestigious National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Elections Committee. I was NASS President in 2019-20. I previously served two terms as mayor of Cedar Rapids and as Iowa State Senator. I also served as President of the Iowa League of Cities, and am a nationally recognized small business leader.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Continuing to protect the sanctity and security of Iowa's elections are my top priorities. while increasing voter registration and participation. Iowa was recently named one of the top three states in the nation for election administration. I'd like us to be #1. We've made it easy to vote but hard to cheat. Under my watch, that will continue.Under my watch, Iowa has set record highs for voter registration and participation multiple times. Iowa is a national leader in both. We implemented Iowa's online voter registration system in 2016, making it faster and easier to register than ever. We also created the Safe at Home address confidentiality program, so survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, trafficking, stalking and assault can vote without fear of their address becoming public. More than 1,200 Iowans participate in the program. My office works with stakeholder groups and expends significant resources to educate Iowans about law changes and deadlines. We will continue to to make it easy to vote but hard to cheat.I wrote Iowa's Voter ID laws and defended successfully in court multiple times. We have Voter ID at the polls and on absentee ballot requests. These are important safeguards. My office works closely with multiple state and federal agencies to protect our election cybersecurity and ensure voters and poll workers are safe in all 99 counties. There is zero evidence of any unauthorized intrusions into Iowa’s election systems. Our voter registration system resides in a secure facility with the same standards of protection the FBI uses. It has multiple intrusion detection and protection systems in place. The State of Iowa is dedicated to protecting the integrity and security of your vote.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Elections, voting, helping Iowans with disabilities participate in the process, and providing Iowa's business community with the service it deserves.

I'm also committed to providing address confidentiality for survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, assault, tracking, and stalking. We must also keep fighting against human trafficking. It is a form of modern day slavery.