Iowa Poll finds Iowans split on whether to repeal gender balance requirement for boards

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Iowans are split in their opinions on whether to repeal the requirement for boards and commissions to have equal numbers of men and women, as a bill to do so waits on Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk.

Forty-eight percent of respondents say they oppose repealing the requirement, while 46% say they are in favor, a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll finds. Five percent say they are not sure.

Repealing the gender balance requirement is most popular among self-identified Republicans: 55% say they are in favor, while 41% are opposed.

A majority of self-identified Democrats oppose a repeal, with 33% in favor and 59% opposed.

Political independents split almost evenly, with 47% in favor and 48% opposed.

Men favor the gender balance repeal slightly more than women, but opinions do not widely differ between genders. Among men, 49% say they are in favor of repealing the requirement, 46% say they are opposed and 4% say they are not sure. Among women, 43% say they are in favor, 50% are opposed and 6% are not sure.

The Iowa Poll, conducted by Selzer & Co., surveyed 804 Iowans from Feb. 25-28. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Barbara Yarhart, an 85-year-old poll respondent from Keokuk who identifies as an independent, said she isn’t wholly supportive of a gender balance requirement, but thinks it is necessary.

“I don’t think they should have to mandate it,” she said. “But if they don’t, you know how it is. It’s going to be the old boys’ club.”

Joe Cotton, a 62-year-old Republican from Dallas Center, is in favor of repealing the gender balance requirement.

“I just think they ought to pick the best people for the job,” Cotton said. “Regardless of gender.”

What is the status of the bill to repeal the gender balance requirement on Iowa boards?

The bill sits on Reynolds’ desk after passing both the House and Senate in February. Reynolds has not yet signed it into law but is expected to.

Senate File 2096 would end the gender balance requirement for state boards and commissions, as well as local bodies.

Republicans have argued the requirement, which was put in place in the 1980s, is outdated and makes it difficult to find applicants for some boards.

"Gender balance often causes us to eliminate some of the most qualified candidates, and that’s the last thing we want to do," said Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, R-Northwood. "We want the most qualified candidates to fill positions on our boards, commissions and councils."

Democrats opposing the proposal have said many boards and commissions still lack a full gender balance, and that existing law already allows for flexibility when making appointments.

"The world may have changed but the world still isn't fair," said Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines. "Sometimes more qualified women don't get leadership opportunities until that less qualified man is taken out of the equation."

Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at [email protected] or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier.

About the Iowa Poll

The Iowa Poll, conducted Feb. 25-28, 2024, for The Des Moines Register and Mediacom by Selzer & Co. of Des Moines, is based on telephone interviews with 804 Iowans ages 18 or older. Interviewers with Quantel Research contacted households with randomly selected landline and cell phone numbers supplied by Dynata. Interviews were administered in English. Responses were adjusted by age, sex and congressional district to reflect the general population based on recent American Community Survey estimates.

Questions based on the sample of 804 Iowa adults have a maximum margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. This means that if this survey were repeated using the same questions and the same methodology, 19 times out of 20, the findings would not vary from the true population value by more than plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Results based on smaller samples of respondents — such as by gender or age — have a larger margin of error.

Republishing the copyright Iowa Poll without credit and, on digital platforms, links to originating content on The Des Moines Register and Mediacom is prohibited.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Poll: Bill to repeal gender balance rule for boards splits Iowans