Iowa justices who approved gay marriage may be tossed.

[rurallib]

Three of the Iowa justices who voted in the unanimous decision that discrimination in marriage was illegal may now face being removed by voters in the off year election.
While Iowa has a pretty non-partisan method for selecting and appointing justices, we also have a chance to remove a portion of the judiciary every election. Losing GOP primary contender Bob VanderPlaats has made removing these justices his cause.
As expected, this is a well funded campaign with money coming in from crazies all over the country. The justices in question have not launched a counter campaign. There is some token opposition but as you can imagine not much funding.
One factor which will help those looking to oust the justices is that this question is on the back of the ballot with things like votes for water district commissioner. Many will not bother to turn the ballot over.

http://www.bleedingheartland.com/diary/4263/register-poll-finds-judicial-retention-vote-a-tossup
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101004/NEWS/10040323/Iowa-Poll-Retention-of-justices-a-tossup

"The retention election could hinge on which side mobilizes the most down-ticket voters. A Register analysis of voting records in the past two non-presidential elections shows that only 60 percent of Iowa voters answered the retention questions for justices and appeals-court judges.

Justices and judges need a simple majority of "yes" votes to stay on the bench.
Numbers 'stunning,' says one observer

Ousting the justices would not undo the gay marriage ruling or change the way judges are selected. But scholars who study judge-selection practices said the removal of even one justice would shock judiciaries across the nation, embolden conservative activists and, over time, could open the door to changes in the way Iowa chooses judges."

(cross posted in GD)

[emulatorloo]

1. VanderPlaats claims these judges "may" take away your guns and your property

I'm asking those I know who vote Democratic to make sure to retain these judges.

[rurallib]

2. Hadn't heard that one FEAR FEAR FEAR

[progressoid]

3. God this pisses me off.

These asshats are the same types bitching about how Amurica isn't following the Constitution. But when justices actually do their job and strike down a law because it isn't constitutional, then it's all about "activist judges" and "the will of the people" and screw the State's Constitution.

:grr:

[HuskiesHowls]

4. Screw the will of the people.....

I read, some time this past summer, a short article in the Des Moines Register quoting one of the leaders of the bunch that wants to overturn this court ruling. I forget how exactly he stated it, but the gist of his comment was that even if the people of Iowa get to vote on gay marriage and vote to allow it, that wouldn't stop them. In other words.....Screw the Will of the People....we don't want gay marriage....PERIOD! Its our way, or the highway....