View source for 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 [[United States Constitution|U.S. Constitution]] and [[United States Code|federal law]]. 

{{Anchor|Conventions}}
The state's first constitution was created in 1844, but not ratified.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/statutory/constitution |work=legis.iowa.gov |title=Iowa Law: Constitution |access-date=2024-08-22 }}</ref> The second constitution was created in 1846.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> The present-day document, which went into effect in 1857, is the state's third constitution.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> All 3 constitutions had conventions.<ref>{{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}}</ref> It supersedes Iowa's 1846 constitution and has had numerous amendments since its initial adoption.

==See also==
*[[Iowa Supreme Court]]
*[[Iowa Code]]
*[[State constitutions in the United States]]
{{Portal|Iowa}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikisource|1857 Constitution of the State of Iowa — Codified}}

{{Iowa}}
{{Constitutions of the United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Constitution of Iowa}}
[[Category:1846 in American law]]
[[Category:1857 in American law]]
[[Category:1857 documents]]
[[Category:Iowa law]]
[[Category:State constitutions of the United States|Iowa]]
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