Auditor of State of Iowa · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Iowa auditor of state race?
Chris Cournoyer has the strongest record in the Iowa auditor of state race. Chris Cournoyer scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Chris Cournoyer's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Taylor Wettach (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Strongest record
Chris Cournoyer
65 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 63
Democratic
Taylor Wettach
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 5 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 69
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Chris Cournoyer
- On the record2024-12-16
Appointed lieutenant governor by Gov. Kim Reynolds on Dec. 16, 2024, after Adam Gregg resigned, and resigned her Senate seat.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer, Iowa Capital Dispatch, as published by Yahoo News, May 6, 2025
- On the record2023 to 2024
Chaired the Iowa Senate Information Technology Committee and was vice chair of the State Government Committee in the 2023 to 2024 session.
Source: Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer
- On the recordbefore 2019
Served as president of the Pleasant Valley School Board and on the Governor's STEM Advisory Council board before entering the Senate.
Source: Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer
- Credit2023-03
Floor-managed Senate File 262, Iowa's consumer data protection law, which passed both chambers unanimously and was signed in March 2023.
Sources: Iowa Legislature, bills floor-managed by Senator Chris Cournoyer, GA 90, Davis Wright Tremaine, March 31, 2023
Taylor Wettach
- On the record2026-01-26
Ended his congressional campaign on Jan. 26, 2026 and launched a bid for state auditor the same day.
Source: The Daily Iowan, Jan. 29, 2026
- On the record2026-08-22
Said at the Register Soapbox that he resigned his job as an international trade and national security lawyer when his law firm settled with the Trump administration after targeted executive orders.
Source: Des Moines Register, as published by Yahoo News, Aug. 22, 2026
- On the record2026-08-22
Spoke at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 22, 2026.
Source: Des Moines Register, as published by Yahoo News, Aug. 22, 2026
- On the record2025-07-08
An international trade and national security lawyer, he announced a run for Iowa's 1st Congressional District on July 8, 2025.
Source: KCCI, July 8, 2025
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Chris Cournoyer. State senator from 2019 and lieutenant governor since December 2024 with no ethics board, court or campaign finance finding naming her found, and no fact-check rating found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Chris Cournoyer. No public record found.
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Chris Cournoyer. No public record found.
Taylor Wettach. Spoke at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox on Aug. 22, 2026 and gave a sit-down interview to The Daily Iowan. No 2026 debate with his opponent was found.
Sources: Des Moines Register, as published by Yahoo News, Aug. 22, 2026, The Daily Iowan, Jan. 29, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Chris Cournoyer. Pleasant Valley school board president, state senator 2019 to 2024 and lieutenant governor since 2024 with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Chris Cournoyer. Sworn state senator and lieutenant governor (oath on Dec. 16, 2024) with no official finding of misuse of office and no action to reject certified results.
Source: Iowa Capital Dispatch, as published by Yahoo News, May 6, 2025
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Chris Cournoyer. Two terms in the Iowa Senate (2019 to 2024) and lieutenant governor since December 2024. No auditing or accounting career documented.
Sources: Iowa Legislature, Senator Chris Cournoyer (GA 90), Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer
Taylor Wettach. International trade and national security lawyer. No government, auditing or elected office experience documented.
Source: KCCI, July 8, 2025
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Chris Cournoyer. Chaired the Senate Information Technology Committee in 2023 to 2024 and proposes specific changes for the auditor's office, including AI in the audit process and promoting the state transparency portal.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer, Iowa Capital Dispatch, as published by Yahoo News, May 6, 2025
Taylor Wettach. Proposes specific steps within the office's role: applying public-school accountability standards to Education Savings Account spending, continuing the PIE efficiency program and seeking repeal of a 2023 law limiting the auditor.
Source: Des Moines Register, as published by Yahoo News, Aug. 22, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Chris Cournoyer. Two channels documented: completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and published campaign statements of her plans.
Source: Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer
Taylor Wettach. Three channels documented: a campaign site with his reasons for running, the Register Soapbox speech and a published Daily Iowan Q&A.
Sources: Wettach campaign site, The Daily Iowan, Jan. 29, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Chris Cournoyer. Born in Dallas, Texas; lives in LeClaire in Scott County and served as Pleasant Valley school board president, documented local service. In-state donor share not computed.
Sources: Iowa Legislature, Senator Chris Cournoyer (GA 90), Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer
Taylor Wettach. Muscatine native and lawyer from Muscatine. In-state donor share not computed.
Sources: KCCI, July 8, 2025, Des Moines Register, as published by Yahoo News, Aug. 22, 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Chris Cournoyer. Served as president of the Pleasant Valley school board. No campaign finance penalty naming her committee was found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Chris Cournoyer
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Chris Cournoyer. Floor-managed several bills that became law in 2023 and 2024, including Senate File 262, Iowa's consumer data protection law, which passed both chambers unanimously.
Sources: Iowa Legislature, bills floor-managed by Senator Chris Cournoyer, GA 90, Davis Wright Tremaine, March 31, 2023
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Chris Cournoyer. No public record found.
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Chris Cournoyer. No public record found.
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Chris Cournoyer. One documented bipartisan result: Senate File 262, which she floor-managed, passed the House and Senate unanimously in 2023.
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Chris Cournoyer. No public record found.
Taylor Wettach. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Iowa auditor of state race?
Chris Cournoyer has the strongest record in the Iowa auditor of state race. Chris Cournoyer scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 6, 2026. Chris Cournoyer's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Taylor Wettach (5 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Iowa auditor of state race in 2026?
Chris Cournoyer (Republican), Taylor Wettach (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Chris Cournoyer a good candidate for Auditor of State?
Chris Cournoyer scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Taylor Wettach a good candidate for Auditor of State?
Taylor Wettach has public evidence on 5 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Iowa race scored, and the Iowa 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.