Iowa general election: November 3, 2026

Who is running for District 5A Judge Retention: Nicholas Bailey in 2026?

Here are the candidates for District 5A Judge Retention: Nicholas Bailey on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Judicial Election District 5A.

This is a retention vote: voters decide yes or no on keeping this judge for another term. Judges may not promise how they would rule, so we show experience and record instead of issue positions.

Nicholas Bailey

· Incumbent

District Court Judge, Judicial Election District 5A (Dallas County)

Nicholas Bailey serves as District Court Judge, Judicial Election District 5A (Dallas County). Nicholas Bailey is up for a retention vote on November 3, 2026: voters decide yes or no on keeping the judge in office, and the judge serves another term if a majority votes yes¹³. The Iowa Judicial Branch says the judge was appointed as a District Court Judge in 2025².

District Court Judge, District 5A (Dallas County), appointed 2025²
Before appointment: 15 years in solo private practice in state and federal courts, and a contract attorney for the State Public Defender in eleven counties of the Fifth Judicial District²
Yale University (history); Drake University Law School, with High Honors²
Appointed by Governor Kim Reynolds; her office announced the appointment on June 30, 2025⁴. The Iowa Judicial Branch says this judge was appointed as a District Court Judge in 2025². Iowa district judges and district associate judges are chosen by the governor from two names sent by a district judicial nominating commission, and then stand in retention elections³.

Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.