Ames, Iowa sample ballot 2026

Niko Pilcher is a lawyer in Huxley with a general practice firm, a U.S. Army veteran of 8 years and a Huxley volunteer firefighter, per a 2022 profile from the Republican Party of Story County. He holds a bachelor's degree from Bradley University and a law degree from Southern Illinois University, per the same profile. No campaign website was found as of September 29, 2026.

Linda Murken grew up on a farm in Franklin Township near Gilbert, graduated from Iowa State University and worked in adult community corrections, ending as Director of the Second Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, per the county's official profile. She retired from corrections in 2010, helped organize the Gilbert/Franklin Township Fire and Emergency Rescue Agency, and has served on the Board of Supervisors since 2019, per her campaign site.

Jeff Staton is an associate professor of practice at Iowa State University's Ivy College of Business and is seeking his first term as a supervisor, per the Ames Tribune. No campaign website was found as of September 29, 2026.

Eveland says he is running because "there should always be at least two options for every election," per Ames-area press coverage. No campaign website was found as of September 9, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Ross Eveland.

Marty Chitty is a third-generation Story County resident who grew up on a farm near Nevada and spent nearly 25 years with FedEx, per his campaign site. He is a former Story County supervisor and has served 17 years on the Nevada School Board, 13 of them as president, per the same site.

Faisal has served on the Story County Board of Supervisors since being elected at large in 2020, per the campaign site. A Story County native and Iowa State University graduate, she describes her approach to the office as people-first, per the campaign site.

Nesset is a city appraiser, per Ames-area press coverage. No campaign website was found as of September 9, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Kirk Nesset.

Josh Turek is Iowa's Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2026, a state representative from Council Bluffs and a Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball. His campaign emphasizes health care, disability rights, public education, reproductive rights, rural hospitals, and a moderate, prairie-populist message in the open-seat race.

• Used his state House platform and campaign to emphasize disability rights, health-care access, and rural hospital concerns. Supported

Ashley Hinson is Iowa's Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2026 and the current U.S. representative for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. A former television journalist and Iowa state legislator, she is running to succeed retiring Senator Joni Ernst with a message focused on taxes, agriculture, border security, federal spending, and Trump-aligned Republican priorities.

• Voted with a group of House Republicans to codify federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. Supported
• Voted against the bipartisan infrastructure package, arguing it included too much spending and waste. Opposed

Thomas Laehn is the elected Greene County Attorney in Iowa and the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate, per his campaign site.

Sand is Iowa's State Auditor, first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, and previously served as an assistant Iowa attorney general prosecuting public corruption, per the campaign site. As auditor he has led investigations into misspent public funds and created a state program to identify government efficiencies later adopted by other states, per the campaign site. He is running with Dave Muhlbauer as his candidate for lieutenant governor, per Iowa's certified 2026 general election candidate list.

Zach Lahn is Iowa's Republican nominee for governor, a businessman and farmer. His campaign emphasizes an Iowa-first economic message, agriculture, water quality, health concerns, and a challenge to large agribusiness power. He is running with Derek Wulf as his candidate for lieutenant governor, per Iowa's certified 2026 general election candidate list.

Brenna Bird is Iowa's incumbent attorney general and a Republican candidate for re-election. Her office has emphasized criminal prosecution, litigation against federal policy, consumer protection, victim services, and conservative legal priorities.

Nate Willems is a Democratic candidate for Iowa attorney general, an attorney, and a former Iowa House member. His campaign emphasizes restoring independence to the office, protecting consumers, defending rights, and using legal experience for accountable public service.

Paul Pate is Iowa's incumbent secretary of state and a Republican candidate for another term. His office oversees elections, business filings, notary services, land-records coordination, and voter information across Iowa.

Ryan Peterman is a Democratic candidate for Iowa secretary of state, a Navy veteran, and a former legislative aide. His campaign emphasizes voting access, election administration, service experience, and rebuilding trust in the office that runs Iowa's elections and business filings.

Roby Smith is Iowa's incumbent state treasurer and a Republican candidate for re-election. His office manages state cash, investments, college savings programs, unclaimed property, and public-finance services.

Norwood has more than 30 years of experience in finance and public service and has served since 2019 as a Business Advisor with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, coaching Iowa entrepreneurs; he holds a BA from Williams College and an MBA in Finance and a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University, per the campaign site.

Taylor Wettach is a Democratic candidate for Iowa state auditor and an attorney. After Rob Sand chose to run for governor, Wettach entered the auditor race with a message focused on independent oversight, transparency, taxpayer accountability, and protecting the auditor's watchdog role.

Chris Cournoyer is Iowa's lieutenant governor and a Republican candidate for state auditor. A former state senator with technology and education experience, she has emphasized government efficiency, financial oversight, public accountability, and using management experience in the auditor's office.

Naig is the incumbent Iowa Secretary of Agriculture who grew up on his family's fourth-generation crop and livestock farm near Cylinder, Iowa, and is a graduate of Buena Vista University, per the campaign site. He has spent his entire career working in agriculture, per the campaign site.

Chris Jones is a Democratic candidate for Iowa secretary of agriculture, an author, and a water-quality advocate. His campaign emphasizes nitrate pollution, rural health, accountability in agricultural policy, family farms, and a more independent approach to Iowa's agriculture department.