Iowa Right to Life Judges Retention Guide
November 3, 2026 General Election

Iowa Right to Life has compiled a voter guide with information on the 87 judges standing for retention in the November 3, 2026 general election.

This guide is provided to help voters make informed decisions. It includes available information on each judge’s political party affiliation, primary election history, political contributions, and any court opinions related to protecting the unborn.

Full Guide (PDF):
https://iowartl.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-Voter-Guide-Judges-to-website.pdf

About Judicial Retention in Iowa

In a retention election, judges do not run against opponents. Voters simply vote “Yes” to keep the judge or “No” to remove the judge. Judges must stand for retention at the end of their terms.

The Iowa Court of Appeals judges appear on ballots statewide. District and associate judges appear only on ballots in their judicial district.

Story County is in Judicial District 2B.

Story County / District 2B Judges on the Ballot

Court of Appeals
• Julie A. Schumacher — Republican — Court Opinion Related Protecting Unborn: None Found
• Sharon Soorholtz Greer — Democrat — Court Opinion Related Protecting Unborn: None Found
• John M. Sandy — Republican — Court Opinion Related Protecting Unborn: None Found

District 2B Judges
• Bethany J. Currie — No Party — None Found
• Angela L. Doyle — No Party — None Found
• Amy Moore — None Found — None Found
• Ashley Sparks — No Party — None Found
• Christopher Polking — No Party — None Found

Associate Judges
• Stephen A. Owen — No Party — None Found
• Joseph L. Tofilon — Democrat — None Found

How the Information Was Compiled

Iowa Right to Life reviewed public records for each judge, including:

• Political party affiliation and primary election voting history
• Political contributions reported to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board (IECDB) and the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
• Court opinions related to protecting the unborn, drawn from Iowa Courts records

For the large majority of judges, no court opinions related to protecting the unborn were found.

The two major political parties hold different positions on life issues. The Iowa Republican Party platform affirms that life begins at conception and must be protected until natural death, and opposes using public funds for abortion. The most recent published Iowa Democratic Party platform supports codifying Roe v. Wade and funding for family planning programs and providers, including Planned Parenthood.

Review Carefully

Voters are encouraged to review the full Iowa Right to Life Judges Guide and other available information before voting on judicial retention.

This information is provided for educational purposes. It is not an endorsement or recommendation by Iowa Right to Life or the Republican Party of Story County.

For the complete statewide list and additional details on each judge, download the full guide:
https://iowartl.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-Voter-Guide-Judges-to-website.pdf