2026 Voter Guide: Polk County Attorney
Updated: 11 hours ago
Election: November 3, 2026 | Live. Work. Thrive.: Justice Prevails
Candidates: Jonah Dyer (Republican) and Kimberly Graham (Democrat, incumbent).
What does the Polk County Attorney do?
The County Attorney is Polk County's chief prosecutor. The office handles criminal and juvenile matters, helps crime victims, represents county government in legal matters, and makes administrative decisions about diversion and prosecution practices. Changing Iowa's criminal statutes requires action by the state Legislature.
Meet the candidates
Jonah Dyer | Republican
Dyer is a criminal defense attorney. His campaign reports that he graduated from Drake University Law School in 2010 and founded JHD Law in 2012. He describes more than 15 years representing Polk County clients, including people who cannot afford private counsel. His current campaign emphasizes consistent law enforcement, victim communication, individualized accountability and program evaluation.
Kimberly Graham | Democrat
Graham has served as Polk County Attorney since January 2023. The county's official biography documents her 1999 Drake law degree and 23 years in private legal practice, including court-appointed criminal defense, juvenile cases, mediation and work with Polk County Recovery Court. Her 2026 priorities include victim services, expanded special-victims prosecution, restorative justice, violence prevention and improved access to mental-health and addiction services.
Compare their documented 2026 proposals
Supporting victims
Jonah Dyer: Emphasizes better communication so victims understand proceedings and case outcomes.
Kimberly Graham: Proposes adding two Special Victims Bureau prosecutors to address domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse and human trafficking cases.
Youth gun violence
Jonah Dyer: Proposes using the juvenile justice system to develop individualized accountability and rehabilitation plans.
Kimberly Graham: Supports bringing Group Violence Intervention to Polk County. Her campaign reported its first training was scheduled for October 2026; the scheduled event should not be mistaken for a proven local outcome.
Restorative justice
Jonah Dyer: Proposes continuing Community Restorative Dialogues, considering broader eligibility, and comparing participant outcomes against similar nonparticipants.
Kimberly Graham: Supports continuing and expanding restorative dialogue and youth-diversion programs, while seeking resources for their operation.
Driver's licenses and fines
Jonah Dyer: Supports ability-to-pay reforms and proposes seeking changes to state law concerning suspensions solely for unpaid fines and penalties for driving while barred.
Kimberly Graham: Supports continuing the ability-to-pay approach her office introduced for license reinstatement. Her reviewed 2026 materials do not identify an equivalent new statutory proposal.
Mental health and addiction
Jonah Dyer: Emphasizes rehabilitative and individualized responses for appropriate defendants within the justice system.
Kimberly Graham: Proposes hiring an office social worker to help victims and defendants connect with mental-health, substance-use and other services.
Office administration and evaluation
Jonah Dyer: Proposes stronger outcome measures for diversion and restorative-justice programs, including comparisons with nonparticipants.
Kimberly Graham: Proposes upgrading the office's case-management technology and improving domestic-violence safety screening.
What does the existing county record show?
During Graham's term, the County Attorney's Office revised its License Reinstatement Program to take ability to pay into account, created a low-level marijuana-diversion program, and expanded restorative-dialogue work. Those are relevant official actions; Graham's campaign also reports increases in program participation and dialogues. Counts of participants or programs are not, by themselves, independent evidence that an initiative caused a reduction in crime or reoffending.
Dyer has not administered this county office. His campaign proposals are described as prospective plans rather than completed county actions.
Where do the proposals overlap and differ?
Both candidates discuss victim services, accountability and restorative approaches. Dyer emphasizes outcome evaluation, eligibility criteria and potential statutory changes. Graham emphasizes specialized prosecutors, additional social-service capacity, violence-intervention partnerships and county-office operational changes. Some proposals could be pursued administratively, while changes to Iowa criminal law require state legislative action.
Original sources
Research and editorial note
This article is a nonpartisan voter-education resource from the NAACP Des Moines Branch. Candidate statements and proposals are attributed to their sources; incumbents' official actions are discussed separately from their future commitments. This guide does not endorse, oppose, rate or rank candidates.
Research review updated: October 31, 2026.
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