Ashley Meredith
Elections and appointments
Personal
Contact
Ashley Meredith (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the Iowa House of Representatives to represent District 84. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Meredith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Ashley Meredith was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She earned an associate degree from the Northeast Iowa Community College, Peosta in 2006 and a graduate degree from Walden University in 2014. Her career experience includes working as a consultant.
Meredith has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- Iowa Child Abuse Prevention Program Advisory Committee
- Iowa Libertarian Party of Benton County
- Institute for Economics and Peace
- University of California Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center
- Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
- Alliance for Sustainability
Elections
2024
See also: Iowa House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
Republican primary election
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Meredith in this election.
Pledges
Meredith signed the following pledges.
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ashley Meredith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Meredith's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My children were wrongfully stolen from me; my nursing career and professional reputation were systematically destroyed- the trauma and heartbreak nearly cost me my life. I have been denied contact with my sons since December 14, 2019, and I have dedicated every waking moment of my life since then to networking and researching how to save other families from enduring the same trauma and heartbreak at the hands of misguided and/or corrupted system. Sixteen years as a registered nurse and my graduate degree in nursing education are the strong foundation for this lofty endeavor, fortified with the determined resolve of a mother's love. Over the last 4 years, the vast areas of study I explored extensively range from spiritual to psychosocial, political to metaphysical, economics and politics. I have shared openly about my life and this beautifully tragic journey on social media and my website for many years. I was a strong advocate for my patients and their families and I am passionate about fighting for my fellow Iowans! I do not believe one man can make a country great again... We need to empower and educate our working class and youth so that we may continue to enjoy peace, prosperity and freedom that will 'make AMERICANS great again.'
- Peace- As an Ambassador for Peace, I am passionate about advocating for the Positive Peace Indicators as determined by the Institute for Economics and Peace, including: a well-functioning government; a sound business environment; low levels of corruption; acceptance of the rights of others; high levels of human capital; good relations with neighbors; free flow of information; and equitable distribution of resources.
- Freedom- Our country was founded on the principle of freedom, and our government was established to protect our God-given civil liberties.
- Prosperity- There is enough abundance in the universe for us all to prosper, if we are given the freedom to pursue it in a way that is sustainable and doesn't impede on the freedom of others.
Preservation of Family- by empowering parents to make good choices that support the future for our young people
Property Rights- The Libertarian Party strongly believes that every individual has the right to control his or her own body, action, speech, and property, and that government’s only role is to help individuals defend themselves from force and fraud. But with rights, come certain responsibilities that we as a nation have forgotten to uphold.
Criminal Justice Reform- Recidivism examines an individual's tendency toward re-offending based on the conditions placed upon the individual and the obstacles the individual encounters as a result. The for-profit court, prison, probation/parole systems are clearly ineffective. First and foremost, my greatest hero would be my late-grandmother, Doris Meredith. She is the classiest woman that I have ever met. She taught me about forgiveness. I remember any time she scolded me, she firmly let me know if I did wrong, and why it was wrong, and she left me on my own to think about it. When I would return and apologize, she treated me with kindness and we went on with our day, and I did not dare let that error happen again. It was quite different from the way I was treated at home. I learned so much from her!
Another one of my heroes was my first nursing mentor, a wonderful human named Cindy. She taught me so much about how to carry myself and interact with other nurses I supervised and parents whose child we cared for. I am forever grateful to her for the woman that I am today.
Margaret Chase Smith's “Declaration of Conscience” is a riveting speech that gives me chills and strengthens my resolve to fight for our civil liberties.
I also enjoy the thought-provoking statements made by Frederic Bastiat in his 1850 essay, The Law.
Both of these publications offer powerful words of wisdom that are equally applicable when considering the issues that we continue to face today. Wisdom, compassion, but, most of all, integrity are the most important principles for an elected official.
I believe my greatest strength is my integrity. I have no interest in money or power except as a means to help others. My integrity is not for sale! I am also especially proud of my tenacity and thirst for knowledge. I am a lifelong learner, and have always been passionate about the importance of education. If I do not understand something, I am relentless in my pursuit to know more. If I cannot see something from all points of view, it would be impossible for me to make the best decision.
The core responsibilities for a state house representative are to represent the constituents from their specific district, develop and vote on laws and statutes at the local and state level, and to help make decisions on how our tax dollars are spent within the state.
I would like to leave a legacy of perseverance and compassion, and I hope to make a positive impact in the lives and places that I touch. I wish to inspire people to “just keep going. Don't stop” as these were the final words that my grandmother said to me on her death bed. “Everything is figureoutable,” you just have to keep trying to be a better person than you were yesterday by learning from your mistakes and doing your best to make amends to people you inadvertently hurt. We are all struggling, and it will take all of us to turn this mess back around.
I vaguely remember the WTC bombing when I was almost 8 years old, and the Oklahoma City bombing when I was 10 years old. And who could forget the Clinton scandal- that also started when I was ten.
The first job I ever had was waiting tables at the old Cafe 218 in Vinton. I worked there for the summer before my family moved to Guttenberg, and I started waiting tables at The Kanndle and later The Stadium Bar and Grill shortly after moving there.
I really struggled with this question because I have so many favorite books! Right now, I would have to say Eon by Greg Bear. It is a science-fiction novel that gives the reader so much to think about, and I actually just wrote a blog post about why I like it so much!
Beatrice Prior, the protagonist from the Divergent Series. I admire her ability to think outside the box, and to lead her peers through whatever adversity they face.
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken by P!nk. I love so many of her songs, but that one is one of my favorites in a playlist I listen to often- it's called “Rally Cry.”
Learning that I am the creator of my world and how to get out of my own way. There may have been circumstances and people that influenced me, but I am ultimately the only one to blame for the poor choices that I have made, and I am the only one that could change the path I was on.
The ideal relationship between the governor and legislature is a strong working relationship, with mutual respect and open communication. Our leadership needs to work together and collaborate effectively for the greatest benefit to all Iowans.
Standing strong against mounting pressures trending towards global oligarchy, and at the same time educating and empowering Iowans of all ages to strengthen our workforce.
I believe having legislators with some experience is beneficial, but experienced politicians should not hold the majority and there should be term limits in place to prevent people from staying in office too long. I can imagine that even an individual with the best intentions would have a hard time resisting the pressure to succumb and conform if he or she were consistently outnumbered by greedy or corrupt peers for an extended period of time.
It is not only beneficial, it is essential that legislators establish rapport and build a strong working relationship with peers in order to effectively collaborate across party lines.
Margaret Chase Smith (1897-1995) became a House Representative for the state of Maine after the death of her husband. She held this office for four terms before becoming the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress after securing a seat in the Senate in 1948. She is most well known for the timeless 15 minute speech she gave in 1950 called “The Declaration of Conscience,” where she bravely spoke out against McCarthyism and defended our fundamental American principles, including: the right to criticize; the right to hold unpopular beliefs; the right to protest; and the right of independent thought. Smith was the first woman in the United States to be in the running to be a major party’s presidential candidate in 1964, but remained in the Senate until 1971. In 1989, George H.W. Bush awarded her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian award of the United States. The medal is awarded to those who have made especially noteworthy contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant endeavors.
Margaret Chase Smith was a highly influential name in American politics and her legacy lives on through the Margaret Chase Library in Maine to this day, inspiring young adults to become involved in the political arena. Learning about her many achievements, awards, and honors makes my heart swell with pride to be a strong American woman hoping to follow in her footsteps.
This is my first time running for public office. I am eager to prove myself worthy of representing my constituents at the state level while continuing my work advancing the Libertarian party on a grassroots level. I do not wish to limit myself, nor do I wish to tempt fate by bragging excessively about my abilities where I have not yet experienced the work myself.
Over the past few years, my fiance and I have traveled through several Iowa counties and made many new friends along the way. They shared their stories of heartache and joy, of tragedy and of triumph, of lessons learned and of wisdom gained. One story, especially, sticks out to me because of its powerful messages of hope. I am proud to have been there to witness it first hand, and for the opportunity to share my dear friend's story with you.
Donny Kading carries the reputation of a typical midwest 'bad boy.' Drugs, fights, multiple arrests, estranged family and friends... He is no stranger to the local sheriff's offices. He even survived a gunshot wound! Donny was facing some time back in 2022, and told his probation officer to either let him work or send him to prison, because he did not feel like he was going to be successful in the work release program.
Brody Frame is a High Risk Unit Probation Officer that oversees cases in Benton County. He has spent many years in this position. In our first conversation, he and I talked about recidivism, and he was proud to share that he has an 87% success rate with his clients successful completing the terms of their probation.
He got Donny transferred to Linn County for the Family Drug Court program. Not only was Donny able to successfully complete the rigorous 18 month program, but he continues to be drug free to this day and is proud that he does not have any urge to use or return to the lifestyle he struggled with his entire life!
Donny is an excellent role model for others that are on the same path, and he is proof that people CAN change, that recovery IS possible! And if I had had the same opportunity, the Iowa DHS would never have been able to destroy my family and steal my children! I can't think of any right off hand, even though my dad is great at telling jokes! My son has always loved puns. I used to roll my eyes when he told them, but now when I hear one, they remind me of him and I smile. The one I heard most recently? What has five toes and isn't your foot? -My foot! Haha!
The legislature should oversee the use of emergency powers, and they should only be implemented as a temporary solution in the most extreme of situations, after all other avenues have been exhausted or deemed ineffective, with the absolute least amount of restriction on personal liberties as possible.
While researching child welfare reform back in 2021, I pulled from several sources, including legislation that has passed in other states, to draft a bill that re-establishes the rights of parents and protects families against the child welfare system. I am eager to get that bill introduced and defend it vigorously against any who would oppose it!
It is early in my campaign, but I have been talking to several organizations and I hope to earn their endorsement!
I would be most interested in serving in the House Local Government, Environmental Protection, Natural Resources, House Education, and Education Reform committees.
An elected official is 100% accountable to the constituents that granted him or her the authority and opportunity to serve in our government. I feel very strongly that someone who has nothing to hide, hides nothing. On that note, taxes are necessary to support public services, such as education, infrastructure, etc. We, as American taxpayers, know and understand this. Paying taxes isn't the problem. Our government's inability to budget appropriately and responsibly is the problem.
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Campaign finance summary
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See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 9, 2024
Leadership
Majority Leader:Bobby Kaufmann
Representatives
Republican Party (67)
Democratic Party (33)
