Breaking Records, Bringing People Together: Rob Sand Shatters Iowa Record with 24,756 Petition Signatures
DES MOINES, IA – Yesterday, candidate for governor Rob Sand hand-delivered eight banker’s boxes filled with 24,756 petition signatures to the Secretary of State’s office, surrounded by family members and supporters. This was a new record in Iowa, and was more than seven times the minimum required and surpassed the state’s previous gubernatorial campaign record by nearly 9,000 signatures.
After submitting a historic haul of petition signatures to the Secretary of State’s office, Rob headed to Twisted Vine Brewery in Des Moines for a live interview with the Pints and Diplomacy Podcast. During the event, Rob talked about the heart of the campaign: bringing Iowans together to build a state that’s not redder or bluer, but better and truer. Rob also reflected on what it meant to qualify for the ballot with support from Iowans from across the state and political spectrum — including more than one in five signatures from a Republican or “no-party” voter.
Read more about Rob’s record-breaking petitions submission below:
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Sand, campaign staff and supporters brought in eight boxes of binders full of signatures to the Secretary of State’s office Monday, containing 24,756 signatures, according to his campaign. This amount is above the previous record of submitted petition signatures submitted in a gubernatorial election set by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2022 at 16,000, and the all-time record set by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst at nearly 24,000 in 2020.
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The Democratic candidate told reporters Wednesday that in addition to setting a new record for the number of signatures submitted, “over one in five of these signatures come from people who are not Democrats — they’re independents, they’re Republicans, they’re interested in a new direction for the state of Iowa.”
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“In fact, we are very close to 100 signatures in all 99 counties for this,” Sand said. “So that we’re showing not just strength in heavily populated areas, but no matter where you live in the state of Iowa, you’ve got neighbors that signed to help us get on the ballot here.”
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Sand and his campaign submitted 24,756 signatures, which he claimed is a record number for an Iowa candidate.
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In talking to reporters, Sand touched on his campaign slogan — which also was written on the T-shirt he wore — in saying the number of signatures shows that Iowans want a state that “isn’t just bluer or redder, but that’s truer and better.”
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“They’re interested in a new direction for the state of Iowa,” Sand told reporters. “I think that this is more emphasis and proof of momentum. … We’re showing not just strength in heavily populated areas, but no matter where you live in the state of Iowa, you’ve got neighbors that sign to help us get on the ballot.”
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Candidates for governor are required to submit at least 3500 signatures from eligible Iowa voters on petitions and have at least 100 signatures from 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. Democrat Rob Sand said the over 24,000 signatures his campaign submitted is a record and one-fifth of them came from independents and Republicans.
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“I think this is more emphasis and proof of momentum,” Sand said. “…This was a 99 county operation. In fact, we are very close to 100 signatures in all 99 counties for this, so that we’re showing not just strength in heavily populated areas, but no matter where you live in the state of Iowa, you’ve got neighbors that signed to help us getting on the ballot here.”
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Sand, who raised over $9.5 million in 2025 for his campaign for governor, told reporters Feenstra has to run a different campaign because he faces a competitive primary. “Whoever it is that comes out on the other side is going to be someone that is going to continue the direction that Kim Reynolds has been putting the state on,” Sand said, “and I think most Iowans are interested in a new direction.”