3 Judges dismissed by Iowa voters over same-sex marriage ruling

Judges in Iowa are kept on for additional terms through the election process. Last night, three judges were dismissed based on their fair and impartial ruling in the case that legalized same-sex marriage in Iowa (Varnum v. Brien 763 N.W.2d 862). Generally, the judges are kept on for additional terms without any news buzz at all, but this year the process became unusually politicized. Outside organizations like the National Organization for Marriage played a large role in politicizing what should be the neutral role of the judiciary. Read the New York Times article for a closer look at what happened in Iowa.