Iowa Supreme Court elections
There are seven justices on the Iowa Supreme Court. For more information about these elections, visit the Iowa judicial elections page.
Judicial selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Iowa
The seven justices on the Iowa Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. When a vacancy occurs on the supreme court, the State Judicial Nominating Commission submits a list of three potential nominees to the governor, who appoints one to serve as a judge. The commission consists of 17 members—nine appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa State Senate and eight (two from each congressional district) elected by lawyers.[1]
Iowa law states that no more than a simple majority of the state nominating commission may be of the same gender.[2]
Newly appointed judges serve for one year after their appointment. They must then compete in a yes-no retention election (occurring during the regularly scheduled general election) if they wish to remain on the court. They then serve eight-year terms.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[3]
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- a member of the Iowa bar;
- a resident of the state, district, or county to which they are appointed; and
- under the age of 72.
Note: Retirement at 72 is mandatory, though older judges may apply to become a senior judge. Senior judges must work a minimum of 13 weeks a year and are to receive a monthly retirement annuity and an annual stipend. They must retire at age 78 (or 80, if reappointed by the supreme court for additional one-year terms).[4]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is elected by peer vote and serves a two-year term.[3]
Vacancies
If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends qualified candidates to the governor and the governor selects a successor from that list. The new appointee serves for at least one year and then stands for retention.[1]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
Elections
2024
- See also: Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2024
David May's seat
General election
General election for Iowa Supreme Court
Incumbent David May won election in the general election for Iowa Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | David May (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 776,472 |
| Total votes: 776,472 | |||
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2022
- See also: Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2022
Candidates and results
McDermott's seat
Iowa Supreme Court, Matthew McDermott's seat
Matthew McDermott was retained to the Iowa Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 67.5% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
67.5
|
605,391 | ||
No |
32.5
|
291,264 | |||
Total Votes |
896,655 | ||||
|
|
Oxley's seat
Iowa Supreme Court, Dana Oxley's seat
Dana Oxley was retained to the Iowa Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 67.0% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
67.0
|
591,837 | ||
No |
33.0
|
291,799 | |||
Total Votes |
883,636 | ||||
|
|
2020
- See also: Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2020
Candidates and results
Christensen's seat
Iowa Supreme Court
Susan Christensen was retained to the Iowa Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 73.0% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
73.0
|
859,886 | ||
No |
27.0
|
317,598 | |||
Total Votes |
1,177,484 | ||||
|
|
Mansfield's seat
Iowa Supreme Court
Edward Mansfield was retained to the Iowa Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 69.2% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
69.2
|
802,356 | ||
No |
30.8
|
356,374 | |||
Total Votes |
1,158,730 | ||||
|
|
McDonald's seat
Iowa Supreme Court
Christopher McDonald was retained to the Iowa Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 71.3% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
71.3
|
825,661 | ||
No |
28.7
|
332,499 | |||
Total Votes |
1,158,160 | ||||
|
|
Waterman's seat
Iowa Supreme Court
Thomas Waterman was retained to the Iowa Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 69.9% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
69.9
|
809,058 | ||
No |
30.1
|
348,665 | |||
Total Votes |
1,157,723 | ||||
|
|
2016
- See also: Iowa Supreme Court elections, 2016
Justices who faced retention
■ Mark Cady 
■ Daryl Hecht
■ Brent Appel
November 8 general election
Mark Cady was retained in the Iowa Supreme Court election with 65.30% of the vote.
| Iowa Supreme Court, Cady's seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Mark Cady | 65.30% | |
| Source: Iowa Secretary of State Official Results | ||
Daryl Hecht was retained in the Iowa Supreme Court election with 64.08% of the vote.
| Iowa Supreme Court, Hecht's seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Daryl Hecht | 64.08% | |
| Source: Iowa Secretary of State Official Results | ||
Brent Appel was retained in the Iowa Supreme Court election with 64.36% of the vote.
| Iowa Supreme Court, Appel's seat, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
| Brent Appel | 64.36% | |
| Source: Iowa Secretary of State Official Results | ||
2012
- See also: Iowa judicial elections, 2012
Justices David Wiggins, Edward Mansfield, Bruce B. Zager, and Thomas Waterman were all up for retention in 2012; all were retained.[5] Wiggins had previously been retained; Mansfield, Zager, and Waterman were up for retention for the first time.
| Candidate | Incumbent | Retention vote: | Retention Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
Bruce B. Zager  | Yes | 829,934 | 74.1% |
| David Wiggins | Yes | 680,284 | 54.5% |
| Edward Mansfield | Yes | 839,157 | 74.3% |
| Thomas Waterman | Yes | 846,993 | 74.8% |
2010
- See also: 2010 State Supreme Court elections
Justices David Baker, Marsha Ternus, and Michael Streit were all up for retention in 2010; all were defeated. Percentages in the below tables indicate the percentages against retention.[6]
| Iowa Supreme Court 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
David Baker 
|
n/a | 54.14% | ||
| Iowa Supreme Court 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Marsha Ternus
|
n/a | 54.98% | ||
| Iowa Supreme Court 2010 General election results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Michael Streit
|
n/a | 54.38% | ||
2008
- See also: State Supreme Court elections, 2008
Justices Mark S. Cady, Daryl L. Hecht, and Brent R. Appel were up for retention in 2008; all were retained.[7]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Iowa Judicial Nominating Commissions, "State Judicial Nominating Commission," accessed September 13, 2021
- ↑ Iowa Legislature, "CHAPTER 46, 46.1 and 46.2," accessed September 13, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Iowa," September 13, 2021
- ↑ Iowa Legislature, "Judicial Retirement System," updated September 2015
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "2012 GENERAL ELECTION CANVASS SUMMARY," accessed September 20, 2021
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "Official Results Report, 2010 General Election held Tuesday, November 2nd 2010," accessed September 20, 2021
- ↑ Iowa Secretary of State, "State of Iowa Official Canvass Summary, November 4, 2008 General Election," accessed September 20, 2021
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
