Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate defended the state's efforts to identify potential noncitizens on voter rolls, while Democratic challenger Ryan Peterman warned against allowing election security concerns to become a pretext for restricting voting rights during a recent appearance on Iowa PBS's Iowa Press ahead of the midterm election.
In separate interviews with Iowa Public Radio following the taping, the candidates also addressed President Donald Trump's suggestion that he could seek a third term, federal investigations into suspected noncitizen voting and concerns about eligible voters being mistakenly flagged as ineligible.
Pate, a Republican from Cedar Rapids, said Iowa has safeguards to protect eligible voters while maintaining accurate registration records.
"We have same-day voter registration. That's a significant safety net that we offer, and as well as provisional ballots as well,” Pate said. “So we want to make sure every Iowan has an opportunity to be successful in voting."
Peterman, a former Navy pilot from Davenport, said preventing noncitizen voting must not come at the expense of eligible voters, including naturalized citizens.
"It is a crime for a non-citizen to vote in our elections, and as secretary of state, I will hold anyone that attempts to do so accountable," Peterman said. “I want to make that crystal clear.”
But Peterman argued that some politicians are using election security concerns to distract from issues including healthcare, education, water quality and the economy. He said election officials must balance security and accessibility while protecting public confidence in election results.
Citizenship checks draw scrutiny
The candidates' comments come amid renewed scrutiny of federal efforts to investigate suspected noncitizen voting.
When asked about a federal judge's order halting Trump administration investigations in nine states over concerns about unreliable data and voter intimidation, Pate defended Iowa's approach.
"We spend a lot of time in preparing the most accurate voter registration list to make sure that the only eligible voters are the ones on our lists," Pate said.
He emphasized that states, rather than the federal government, administer elections.
During Iowa Press, Pate also defended his office's controversial decision shortly before the 2024 election to flag potential noncitizens on Iowa's voter rolls. Pate said his office relied on the information available because the Biden administration had not provided the federal citizenship data he sought.
"I think we've handled it the best we could at the time with the material and information we had," Pate told IPR.
He said federal agencies are now providing more current information, allowing his office additional time to review records, rather than making decisions immediately before an election.
Peterman criticized last-minute voter roll challenges, but did not identify specific procedural changes he would make to Iowa's citizenship verification system. Instead, he advocated regularly assessing security threats, making risk-based decisions and cooperating with other states.
Candidates respond to Trump third-term claims
The candidates also differed in their responses to Trump's suggestion during a recent rally in Sioux City that he could seek another presidential term.
The 22nd Amendment prohibits anyone from being elected president more than twice.
When asked whether he would refuse to place Trump on Iowa's 2028 presidential ballot if the president sought a third term, Pate declined to address Trump's political rhetoric directly.
"I think the Constitution is pretty clear. The laws of the land are pretty clear,” Pate said. “Unless they're going to change those, we all know the answer to that.”
Peterman was more explicit, saying he would reject any ballot request that violated constitutional term limits.
"The Constitution is crystal clear, and this is something I take very seriously,” he said. “For almost the entirety of my adult life, I'm someone that has sworn an oath to the Constitution. That comes first," Peterman said. "I would never cave to that kind of demand from anyone, no matter what party they came from.”
Federal voter data dispute
During Iowa Press, Peterman criticized Pate for sharing voter registration data — including sensitive personal information — with the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this year. Peterman said he would have refused the federal request, pointing to other states that challenged similar demands.
Pate maintained the request was legally different from a 2017 Federal Election Commission's request that he rejected. He said he declined to sign a Justice Department agreement without conditions intended to protect sensitive voter information. Pate also acknowledged that subsequent court rulings could have influenced his original decision.
Agreement on early voting, differences on poll workers
Despite their disagreements, both candidates support expanding Iowa's 20-day early voting period.
"Well, I think it's too short. I've advocated expanding it back," Pate said during Iowa Press.
Pate said he is working with Democratic and Republican county auditors to add five days.
Peterman favors a longer period, arguing the reduction from 40 days has increased pressure on county election officials and voters who rely on mail delivery.
Both candidates support voter identification requirements. They differ over addressing poll worker shortages.
Peterman supports making Election Day a holiday, arguing it would give more Iowans opportunities to vote and serve as poll workers.
Pate opposes creating a holiday but supports considering higher compensation, improved training and shorter shifts. Pate repeatedly described Iowa elections as the "gold standard," citing voter ID requirements, paper ballots, audits and cybersecurity protections.
Peterman emphasized nonpartisan administration and adapting to emerging security threats.
"I think we need to be the chief truth teller," Peterman told IPR when asked how he would restore public confidence in elections among Iowans who may distrust election results. He called for election officials to resist partisan influence and corruption.
Iowa Press airs Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at noon on Iowa PBS and is available online at iowapbs.org.
