Iowa voters have access to detailed information about judges up for retention in the upcoming general election on November 5. The Iowa Judicial Branch website provides the 2024 Iowa Voter's Judicial Directory, which includes biographies of each judge on the ballot. These biographies cover judges' backgrounds, education, careers, and professional activities. Additionally, the directory explains Iowa's judicial retention process and factors voters might consider when deciding whether to retain a justice or judge.
The Iowa State Bar Association has released results from a performance evaluation conducted by Iowa lawyers. This evaluation offers further insights into judges on the ballot. Lawyers rated judges based on knowledge and application of the law, temperament, communication skills, timeliness of rulings, and impartiality. They also indicated whether each judge should be retained.
In 1962, Iowa adopted a constitutional amendment that shifted from selecting judges through general elections influenced by political party politics to a nonpartisan merit selection and retention process. Under this system, a nonpartisan commission reviews applicants' qualifications for judicial office before forwarding nominees to the governor for appointment. This merit-based approach emphasizes professional qualifications such as experience, legal expertise and knowledge, judicial temperament, and commitment to maintaining an impartial judiciary.
Judges must stand for retention after serving one year on the bench and near the end of each regular term. In these elections, there are no opponents; instead, voters decide based on professional competency if a judge should continue serving. A majority of "yes" votes allows a judge to serve another full term.
Steve Davis
Communications Director
Iowa Judicial Branch
[email protected]