Iowa Secretary of State Shares Final Results of Iowa State Fair Presidential Straw Poll
The unscientific State Fair Straw Poll promotes voter registration and participation
DES MOINES – Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Raymond Wagner received the most votes in each of their political parties in Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s 2023 State Fair Straw Poll. Throughout the Iowa State Fair, more than 4,700 votes were cast for preferred presidential candidates at the Iowa Secretary of State’s booth.
Of the three candidates featured in the Democratic straw poll, Joe Biden received the most votes with 66.97% of votes, followed by Robert F. Kennedy (18.76%), and Marianne Williamson (14.27%). Of the 13 candidates featured in the Republican straw poll, Donald Trump received the most votes with 42.47% of votes cast, followed by Ron DeSantis (15.31%), Tim Scott (11.09%), and Vivek Ramaswamy (9.37%). Raymond Wagner and Chase Oliver were tied for the most votes in the Libertarian Party, each receiving 18.88% of votes cast.
“We conduct the State Fair Straw Poll each year to encourage voter registration and participation in Iowa’s General Elections. Voting is the best way to ensure Iowans’ voices are heard, and I want every eligible Iowan to register to vote,” said Secretary Pate. “It is always interesting to see the final results because historically, the State Fair Straw Poll, while unscientific, has been a fairly accurate indicator of official election results.”
Below are percentage totals for each party from all votes cast throughout the 11 days of polling at the 2023 Iowa State Fair. The unscientific straw poll was accessed via iPads. Candidates featured on the straw poll ballots were identified by their respective political parties.
DEMOCRATS
Joe Biden – 66.97%, 732 votes
Robert F. Kennedy – 18.76%, 205 votes
Marianne Williamson – 14.27%, 156 votes
REPUBLICANS
Ryan Binkley – .76%, 27 votes
Doug Burgum – 2.72%, 96 votes
Ron DeSantis – 15.31%, 541 votes
Larry Elder – .45%, 16 votes
Nikki Haley – 3.76%, 133 votes
Will Hurd – 1.05%, 37 votes
Asa Hutchinson – 3.4%, 120 votes
Perry Johnson – 6.23%, 220 votes
Mike Pence – 2.74%, 97 votes
Vivek Ramaswamy – 9.37%, 331 votes
Tim Scott – 11.09%, 392 votes
Francis Suarez – .65%, 23 votes
Donald Trump – 42.47%, 1501 votes
LIBERTARIANS
Aaron Avouris – 7.69%, 11 votes
Kevin Babicz – 3.5%, 5 votes
Melissa Biondi – 7.69%, 11 votes
Russell DeLeon – 2.1%, 3 votes
David Reed DeSilva – 5.59%, 8 votes
David Dunlap – 4.2%, 6 votes
Charles Griffith Ferry – 3.5%, 5 votes
Antonio Gagnon – 2.8%, 4 votes
Hugo Valdez Garcia – 6.99%, 10 votes
Jacob Hornberger – 4.2%, 6 votes
Seymour Art Lee – .7%, 1 vote
Beau Lindsey – 0%, 0 votes
Mike ter Maat – 2.8%, 4 votes
Lars Mapstead – 2.1%, 3 votes
Chase Oliver – 18.88%, 27 votes
Joshua Rodriguez – 1.4%, 2 votes
Jon Stewart – 5.59%, 8 votes
Kevin Tucker – 0%, 0 votes
Nathan J. Vaught Jr. – 1.4%, 2 votes
Raymond Dude Wagner – 18.88%, 27 votes
Secretary Pate also polled fairgoers on their favorite Iowa State Fair food. Pork Chop on a Stick lead the pack with 16.88% of the vote, followed closely by Barksdale’s State Fair Cookies (15.88%), and Corn Dog (15.72).
Although Secretary Pate is Iowa’s Commissioner of Elections, the Secretary of State’s Office takes no official role in the Iowa Caucuses. Those are functions of Iowa’s political parties.
All results are unscientific and intended for entertainment purposes only. Fairgoers who visited the booth were also able to register to vote for the upcoming election and learn about other various programs from the Secretary’s Elections and Business Services divisions.
