A High Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Iowa sparked an uncharacteristically heated judicial retention vote, resulting in the ousting of three justices last year. With another justice up for retention in 2012, a University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll indicates that 87 percent of Iowans intend to vote on the matter – but nearly half haven't decided how they'll vote.
Justice David Wiggins is up for retention in 2012, and the remaining three justices involved with the decision face a retention vote in 2016. To date, 47 percent of Iowans who plan to vote on retention next year have not made up their minds, 37 percent plan to vote for retention, and 13 percent plan to vote against it.
Uncertainty is greatest among Iowans who supported the decision to oust the justices in 2010, with 58 percent of those intending to vote being unsure how they might vote in 2012. Voters opposed to the ousting expressed a much clearer intention, with 62 percent planning to vote in favor of retention next year.
"Voters' feelings about gay marriage -- rather than their feelings about the qualifications of the justices -- may have led to an anomaly in the 2010 retention vote," said Dan Taibleson, a UI political science student who worked with Faculty Advisor Frederick Boehmke to conduct the poll. "Future retention elections will likely conform with the historical trend of retention."
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Complete article at Press-Citizen : http://bit.ly/iAWHoh
