There are a variety of races and votes on the ballot with large consequences for the future of Marshall County and Iowa beyond the Presidential and legislative races.

There are 16 judges up for retention and four of which are members of Iowa’s Supreme Court.

Iowa Supreme Court Justices Thomas Waterman, Susan Kay Christensen, Edward Mansfield and Christopher McDonald are all up for retention. The Iowa Judicial Branch and Iowa State Bar Association have issued a judicial performance review for voters.

An assortment of about 100 to 106 attorneys take part in the judicial performance review scoring a judge on anything from knowledge and application of the law to the promptness of rulings and decisions.

Judge Bethany Currie, of Marshalltown, was appointed to the bench in 2018 and is up for retention along with six other district court judges and three associated judges.

Currie never scored under 4.5 in any category in her judicial performance review.

“It’s probably the best feedback that we can get because we don’t know who it’s coming from,” she said. “When we’re up for retention election, attorneys are asked to review us so that people who don’t get to see us everyday, and who probably are happier not seeing us everyday, have an idea of whether they should vote yes or no for retention.”

Since March, members of the public have not been able to go into courtrooms for cases because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the judicial performance review is the only way for some people to view a judge’s record.

At least 97 out of 100 attorneys said Currie should be retained according to the review results.

“I want to get the highest score possible,” Currie said. “I research thoroughly, everything I file so I’m confident I know the law and that I’m applying it properly.”

Along with judge retention Marshall County residents will vote on Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners and County Agricultural Extension Council.

“I encourage everyone to turn over their ballots and make sure you answer the questions on the back including retention elections,” Currie said.

Marshall County Auditor Nan Benson also encourages people to turn over their ballot.

“People forget to turn the ballot over,” Benson said.

On the back of the ballot is also a question, “Should there be a convention to revise the Constitution, and propose amendment or amendments to same?” Voters have a choice of answering “yes” or “no.”

The question is asked of Iowans every 10 years – whether or not a constitutional convention should be held to amend the state Constitution. Since 1970, it has not been approved by voters. If it is, the Iowa Legislature will create a set of rules to elect convention delegates, along with amendments discussed at the convention. Then, it goes to a vote of the people.

ON THE MARSHALL COUNTY BALLOT:

President and Vice President:

• Democrats Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris

• Republicans Donald Trump and Michael Pence

• Alliance Party Roque Rocky De La Fuente and Darcy Robinson

• Constitution Party of Iowa Don Blankenship and William Alan Mohr

• Genealogy Know Your Family History Ricki Sue King and Dayna Chandler

• Green Party Howie Hawkins and Angela Nicole Walker

• Libertarian Party Jo Jorgensen and Jeremy Cohen

• Independents Broke Pierce and Karla Ballard

• Independents Kanye West and Michelle Tidball

United States Senator:

• Democrat Theresa Greenfield

• Republican Joni Ernst

• Libertarian Rick Stewart

• Independent Suzanne Herzog

United States Representative District 1:

• Democrat Abby Finkenauer

• Republican Ashley Hinson

State Senator District 36

• Democrat David Degner

• Republican Jeff Edler

State Representative District 71

• Democrat Sue Cahill

• Republican Tony Reed

County Board of Supervisors

• Democrat Thomas Thurston

• Republican Steve Salasek

County Auditor and Recorder

• Republican Nan Benson

County Sheriff

• Republican Steve Hoffman

Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners

• Wade Dooley

• Ethan Crow

County Agricultural Extension Council

• Joyce Thomas

• Colton Paul

• George Crum

• Tyler Heeren

Supreme Court judges to retain:

• Thomas Waterman

• Susan Key Christensen

• Edward Mansfield

• Christopher McDonald

Court of Appeals judges to retain:

• Sharon Soorholtz Greer

• Thomas Bower

• David May

• Julie Schumacher

District Court 2B judges to retain:

• Bethany Currie

• Angela Doyle

• James Ellefson

• Amy Moore

• Christopher Polking

• Gina Badding

District Court 2B associate judges to retain:

• Joseph Tofilon

• James Malloy

• Stephen Owen

—–

Contact Thomas Nelson at 641-753-6611 or tnelson@timesrepublican.com

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