Iowa judicial elections

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Elections in Iowa

* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2026
* Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2024
* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
* Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2022
* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2022
* Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2020
* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2020
* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2018
* Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2018
* Iowa judicial elections, 2016
* Iowa judicial elections, 2014
* Iowa judicial elections, 2012
* Iowa judicial elections, 2010

Courts in Iowa

* Iowa Supreme Court
* Iowa Court of Appeals
* Iowa District Courts
* United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
* United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
* United States bankruptcy court, Northern District of Iowa
* United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of Iowa

Judicial selection in Iowa

Judges in Iowa participate in retention elections following a assisted appointment method of judicial selection. Because of this, judges only compete in the November general election. Judicial elections in Iowa are held during even-numbered years.[1][2]

Iowa is one of eight states that use retention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench without using another type of election as an initial selection method. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.

Supreme Court | Court of Appeals | District Court

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Retention election \- Eight-year terms | Retention election \- Six-year terms | Retention election \- Six-year terms

## Contents

* 1 Elections
* 2 Election rules
* 2.1 Retention election
* 2.1.1 History
* 3 Voter information
* 4 Term
* 5 See also
* 6 External links
* 7 Footnotes

## Elections[edit]

* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2026
* Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2024
* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
* Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2022
* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2022
* Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2020
* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2020
* Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2018
* Iowa local trial court judicial elections, 2018
* Iowa judicial elections, 2016
* Iowa judicial elections, 2014
* Iowa judicial elections, 2012
* Iowa judicial elections, 2010

## Election rules[edit]

### Retention election[edit]

In Iowa's retention elections, voters are asked to decide whether a judge should remain in office. The judge is retained for a new term if a majority of voters answers with a "yes" vote. If the majority responds with a "no" vote, the judge is removed from the bench at the end of the term.[3]

Judges must file for retention at least 104 days prior to the election which precedes the end of their term. If a judge does not file a declaration of candidacy, the term will become vacant upon expiration.[4]

According to a brochure released by the Iowa Judicial Branch, the purpose of Iowa's retention elections is to evaluate the competency of judges, as opposed to the popularity of their individual rulings.[3]

#### History[edit]

Judges in Iowa were elected until 1962, when voters approved an amendment to the Iowa Constitution that put into place the current merit selection and retention system. The state's retention brochure says that this system reduces the influence of political parties and special interest groups. Further, the system is meant to emphasize judges' professional qualifications while leaving the final decision to voters. Finally, according to the brochure, the system is intended to ensure fair and impartial courts.[3]

## Voter information[edit]

Every two years, the Iowa State Bar Association surveys its member attorneys for their opinions on judges appearing on the ballot. It releases the Judicial Performance Evaluation to the public before each election. The bar association states that the purpose is "to provide the public with information based on the first-hand observations of its members." The association has been conducting the evaluations since 1962, when the current method of judicial selection began.[5]

Attorneys who complete the evaluations must have appeared before the judge often enough that the judge can evaluate the attorney. The evaluations feature eight questions (six for appellate court judges) about a judge's professional competence, as well as four questions about each judge's demeanor. On the competence side, attorneys are asked to evaluate a judge's "knowledge and application of the law, perception of factual issues, attentiveness to arguments and testimony, management and control of the courtroom, and promptness of rulings and decisions." Attorneys rate competence between 1 and 5, with 1 denoting "very poor" and 5 denoting "excellent." For the demeanor portion of the evaluations, attorneys are asked whether a judge "avoids undue personal observations or criticisms of litigants, judges and lawyers from the bench or in written orders; decides cases on the basis of applicable law and fact, not affected by outside influence; is courteous and patient with litigants, lawyers and court personnel; and treats people equally regardless of race, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or disability." For these ratings, 1 denotes "strongly disagree," while 5 denotes "strongly agree."[5]

In August of 2012, the Iowa Judicial Branch released a judicial directory to provide voter information about judges appearing on the ballot.[6]

## Term[edit]

All judges in Iowa have terms that begin on January 1st of the year following an election.[7]

## See also[edit]

Iowa | Judicial Selection | More Courts

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Courts in Iowa Iowa Court of Appeals Iowa Supreme Court |  Elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 Gubernatorial appointments Judicial selection in Iowa |  Federal courts State courts Local courts

## External links[edit]

* Iowa Secretary of State, "Voters," accessed June 7, 2014
* The Iowa Legislature, "Election Laws of Iowa 2013," accessed June 7, 2014

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ The Iowa Legislature, "Election Laws of Iowa: 46.17 Time of judicial election," 2013
2. ↑ The Iowa Legislature, "Election Laws of Iowa: 39.1 General election," 2013
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 American Judicature Society, "What you need to know about judicial retention elections: A guide to Iowa's judicial retention elections," 2012, accessed June 7, 2014
4. ↑ The Iowa Legislature, "Election Laws of Iowa: 46.20 Declaration of candidacy," accessed June 20, 2016
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Iowa State Bar Association, "Judicial Evaluations," accessed June 7, 2014
6. ↑ American Judicature Society, "Iowa Voters Judicial Directory," August 2012
7. ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Terms of Offices"

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Iowa courts

* * *

Federal courts:

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa

State courts:

Iowa Supreme Court • Iowa Court of Appeals • Iowa district courts

State resources:

Courts in Iowa • Iowa judicial elections • Judicial selection in Iowa