Iowa intermediate appellate court elections, 2018

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
2018 election dates
Deadline to file candidacy
July 25, 2018
General election
November 6, 2018

The terms of three Iowa Court of Appeals judges expired on December 31, 2018. These judges were required to stand for retention by voters in November 2018 in order to remain on the bench. A full term on the court is six years. Iowa's judicial retention elections take place during its general elections, held every two years in even-numbered years.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Vaitheswaran was appointed to the court in 1999 by Democratic Governor Tom Vilsack. Tabor was appointed to the court in 2010 by Democratic Governor Chet Culver. Mullins was appointed to the court in 2011 by Republican Governor Terry Branstad.
  • Judges Mullins and Tabor have each served one full term on the court; Judge Vaitheswaran has served three.

  • Candidates and results

    Iowa Court of Appeals 2018 Retention election

    • Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
    Office Candidates
    Anuradha Vaitheswaran's seat

    Green check mark transparent.pngAnuradha Vaitheswaran (i)
    Mary Tabor's seat

    Green check mark transparent.pngMary Tabor (i)
    Michael R. Mullins' seat

    Green check mark transparent.pngMichael R. Mullins (i)


    Selection

    See also: Judicial selection in Iowa

    Judges of the Iowa Court of Appeals are appointed by the governor with help from a nominating commission. When a vacancy occurs, the commission submits a list of three potential nominees to the governor, who appoints one to serve as judge. 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 continue serving.[1]

    Qualifications

    To serve on the court of appeals, a judge must be:

    • licensed to practice law in Iowa;
    • a resident of the state of Iowa;
    • a member of the Iowa State Bar; and
    • under the age of 72 (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).[2]

    Selection of the chief judge

    The chief judge of the Iowa court of appeals is selected by peer vote and serves for a two-year term.

    State profile

    Demographic data for Iowa
     IowaU.S.
    Total population:3,121,997316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):55,8573,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:91.2%73.6%
    Black/African American:3.2%12.6%
    Asian:2%5.1%
    Native American:0.3%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
    Two or more:2%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:5.4%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:91.5%86.7%
    College graduation rate:26.7%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$53,183$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:13.8%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Iowa.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    Presidential voting pattern

    See also: Presidential voting trends in Iowa

    Iowa voted for the Republican candidate in four out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

    Pivot Counties (2016)

    Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, 31 are located in Iowa, accounting for 15.04 percent of the total pivot counties.[3]

    Pivot Counties (2020)

    In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Iowa had 31 Retained Pivot Counties, 17.13 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

    More Iowa coverage on Ballotpedia

    Pivot Counties

    See also: Pivot Counties by state

    Thirty-one of 99 Iowa counties—31 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

    Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
    County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
    Allamakee County, Iowa 24.15% 4.17% 14.25%
    Boone County, Iowa 13.69% 6.64% 7.63%
    Bremer County, Iowa 13.68% 2.68% 9.31%
    Buchanan County, Iowa 15.02% 13.87% 18.48%
    Cedar County, Iowa 17.78% 4.59% 9.64%
    Cerro Gordo County, Iowa 7.66% 13.38% 20.83%
    Chickasaw County, Iowa 22.94% 11.07% 20.74%
    Clarke County, Iowa 28.02% 1.47% 2.25%
    Clayton County, Iowa 22.78% 7.03% 17.17%
    Clinton County, Iowa 5.12% 22.84% 23.03%
    Des Moines County, Iowa 6.89% 18.41% 23.04%
    Dubuque County, Iowa 1.23% 14.71% 20.77%
    Fayette County, Iowa 19.36% 11.96% 16.60%
    Floyd County, Iowa 14.84% 14.63% 21.88%
    Howard County, Iowa 20.49% 20.95% 25.78%
    Jackson County, Iowa 19.27% 16.89% 24.39%
    Jasper County, Iowa 18.13% 7.07% 7.50%
    Jefferson County, Iowa 0.47% 15.97% 20.23%
    Jones County, Iowa 19.08% 7.78% 10.40%
    Lee County, Iowa 16.02% 15.49% 16.01%
    Louisa County, Iowa 28.37% 0.64% 4.25%
    Marshall County, Iowa 8.31% 9.36% 9.35%
    Mitchell County, Iowa 24.04% 3.37% 12.31%
    Muscatine County, Iowa 6.26% 15.88% 15.64%
    Poweshiek County, Iowa 6.53% 9.35% 11.75%
    Tama County, Iowa 20.28% 7.43% 12.19%
    Union County, Iowa 27.49% 3.86% 3.70%
    Wapello County, Iowa 20.60% 11.88% 13.53%
    Webster County, Iowa 21.52% 5.84% 8.51%
    Winneshiek County, Iowa 0.79% 14.74% 22.65%
    Worth County, Iowa 21.68% 14.53% 22.42%

    In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Iowa with 51.1 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 41.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1848 and 2016, Iowa voted Republican 69.76 percent of the time and Democratic 30.23 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Iowa voted Democratic three times and Republican the other two times.[4]

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Iowa. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[5][6]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 61 out of 100 state House districts in Iowa with an average margin of victory of 19.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 35 out of 100 state House districts in Iowa with an average margin of victory of 18.8 points. Clinton won four districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 39 out of 100 state House districts in Iowa with an average margin of victory of 13.3 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 65 out of 100 state House districts in Iowa with an average margin of victory of 24.5 points. Trump won 10 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

    Pivot Counties

    See also: Pivot Counties by state

    Thirty-one of 99 Iowa counties—31 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

    Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
    County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
    Allamakee County, Iowa 24.15% 4.17% 14.25%
    Boone County, Iowa 13.69% 6.64% 7.63%
    Bremer County, Iowa 13.68% 2.68% 9.31%
    Buchanan County, Iowa 15.02% 13.87% 18.48%
    Cedar County, Iowa 17.78% 4.59% 9.64%
    Cerro Gordo County, Iowa 7.66% 13.38% 20.83%
    Chickasaw County, Iowa 22.94% 11.07% 20.74%
    Clarke County, Iowa 28.02% 1.47% 2.25%
    Clayton County, Iowa 22.78% 7.03% 17.17%
    Clinton County, Iowa 5.12% 22.84% 23.03%
    Des Moines County, Iowa 6.89% 18.41% 23.04%
    Dubuque County, Iowa 1.23% 14.71% 20.77%
    Fayette County, Iowa 19.36% 11.96% 16.60%
    Floyd County, Iowa 14.84% 14.63% 21.88%
    Howard County, Iowa 20.49% 20.95% 25.78%
    Jackson County, Iowa 19.27% 16.89% 24.39%
    Jasper County, Iowa 18.13% 7.07% 7.50%
    Jefferson County, Iowa 0.47% 15.97% 20.23%
    Jones County, Iowa 19.08% 7.78% 10.40%
    Lee County, Iowa 16.02% 15.49% 16.01%
    Louisa County, Iowa 28.37% 0.64% 4.25%
    Marshall County, Iowa 8.31% 9.36% 9.35%
    Mitchell County, Iowa 24.04% 3.37% 12.31%
    Muscatine County, Iowa 6.26% 15.88% 15.64%
    Poweshiek County, Iowa 6.53% 9.35% 11.75%
    Tama County, Iowa 20.28% 7.43% 12.19%
    Union County, Iowa 27.49% 3.86% 3.70%
    Wapello County, Iowa 20.60% 11.88% 13.53%
    Webster County, Iowa 21.52% 5.84% 8.51%
    Winneshiek County, Iowa 0.79% 14.74% 22.65%
    Worth County, Iowa 21.68% 14.53% 22.42%

    In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Iowa with 51.1 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 41.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1848 and 2016, Iowa voted Republican 69.76 percent of the time and Democratic 30.23 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Iowa voted Democratic three times and Republican the other two times.[7]

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Iowa. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[8][9]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 61 out of 100 state House districts in Iowa with an average margin of victory of 19.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 35 out of 100 state House districts in Iowa with an average margin of victory of 18.8 points. Clinton won four districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 39 out of 100 state House districts in Iowa with an average margin of victory of 13.3 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 65 out of 100 state House districts in Iowa with an average margin of victory of 24.5 points. Trump won 10 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Iowa judicial election' OR 'Iowa court election' OR. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    See also

    Iowa Judicial Selection More Courts
    Seal of Iowa.png
    Judicialselectionlogo.png
    BP logo.png
    Courts in Iowa
    Iowa Court of Appeals
    Iowa Supreme Court
    Elections: 202520242023202220212020201920182017
    Gubernatorial appointments
    Judicial selection in Iowa
    Federal courts
    State courts
    Local courts

    External links

    Footnotes