Constitution of Iowa

{{Short description|State Constitution}}

The Constitution of Iowa is the highest body of state law in the U.S. state of Iowa. It establishes the structure and function of the state. Iowa's constitution is subordinate only to the U.S. Constitution and federal law.

{{Anchor|Conventions}}

The state's first constitution was created in 1844, but not ratified.{{citation |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/statutory/constitution |work=legis.iowa.gov |title=Iowa Law: Constitution |access-date=2024-08-22 }} The second constitution was created in 1846.{{citation |chapter-url= https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t6c251v5g&seq=482&view=2up |chapter= Constitution of Iowa, 1846 |title=The Federal and State Constitutions, Colonial Charters, and other Organic Laws of the States and Territories now or heretofore forming the United States of America |editor= Francis Newton Thorpe |via=HathiTrust |location=Washington |publisher=Government Printing Office |year=1909 }} The present-day document, which went into effect in 1857, is the state's third constitution.{{citation |chapter-url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t6c251v5g&seq=496&view=2up |chapter= Constitution of Iowa, 1857 |title=The Federal and State Constitutions, Colonial Charters, and other Organic Laws of the States and Territories now or heretofore forming the United States of America |editor= Francis Newton Thorpe |via=HathiTrust |location=Washington |publisher=Government Printing Office |year=1909 }} All 3 constitutions had conventions.{{cite news |last1=Raub |first1=Amber |title=Beyond the Podium: Iowa Constitutional Convention |url=https://khqa.com/news/political/beyond-the-podium-iowa-constitutional-amendment-1-voting-constitution-ballot-polls-state-convention |work=KHQA |date=25 October 2020 |language=en}} It supersedes Iowa's 1846 constitution and has had numerous amendments since its initial adoption.