Polk County, Iowa

Iowa House District 36

2 candidates are tracked for Iowa House District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Bruce A Michalowski and Austin Baeth. Candidate information follows official Polk County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Bruce A Michalowski (Republican), Austin Baeth (Democratic) are on the November 3 ballot for Iowa House District 36; Austin Baeth is the sitting member, per the legis.iowa.gov legislator roster. Major-party nominees were chosen at the June 2 primary; No Party candidates qualify by nominating petition. The field is the Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate list, as read September 11, 2026. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Austin Baeth, is on the ballot.

Iowa › Polk County › Iowa House District 36

Bruce A Michalowski

Republican

Biography

Bruce A Michalowski is the Republican candidate for Iowa House District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate list. Michalowski is listed as a Republican candidate for Iowa House District 36 on the Iowa Secretary of State's 2026 general election candidate list; news coverage of the race described Democratic incumbent Austin Baeth as running unopposed, per Iowa Secretary of State 2026 General Election Candidate List / AOL. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the Secretary of State's certified candidate list is the only verifiable source for Bruce A Michalowski.

Austin Baeth

DemocraticIncumbent

Top priorities

Says he brings an evidence-based approach to problem solving in the Legislature

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Austin Baeth is the Democratic candidate for Iowa House District 36 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate list. Austin Baeth is a sitting member for the district, per the legis.iowa.gov legislator roster. Baeth is a physician and small business owner who currently represents Iowa House District 36, per Iowa Legislature website / campaign site. Baeth is running unopposed for reelection to Iowa House District 36, which covers the Sherman Hill neighborhood and the area around Gray's Lake in Des Moines, per AOL.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Iowa House District 36 in 2026?

When is the Iowa House District 36 election in Iowa?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Iowa are on the Iowa election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Polk County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Polk County and state election office filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Iowa election office, or see the full Polk County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Polk County ballot

27 tracked races in Polk County, Iowa. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Iowa House District 40 Iowa House District 41 Iowa House District 42 See all 27 Polk County races

Candidate profiles

Bruce A Michalowski, full profile Austin Baeth, full profile Official Iowa election office