Johnson County voters will decide Tuesday, Nov. 3, whether to retain District Magistrate Judge Jenifer J. Ashford in the 10th Judicial District, Division 1. The nonpartisan retention question asks voters whether Ashford should remain on the bench. No opponent is on the ballot.
Ashford has served since 2017, when the 10th Judicial District Nominating Commission selected her to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael H. Farley, according to a Kansas Courts news release. She is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.
Candidate information
- Name: Jenifer J. Ashford
- Office sought: District Magistrate Judge, District 10, Division 1 (retention)
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Residence: Prairie Village, Kansas
- Born: 1972, Marysville, Kansas
- Education: High school diploma, Marysville High School; bachelor's degree, Kansas State University (1994); law degree, University of Kansas (1997)
Experience and public service
Before joining the bench, Ashford spent two decades as a prosecutor across multiple jurisdictions, according to her Johnson County District Court profile and BallotReady data:
- Assistant district attorney, Jackson County (1997–2000)
- Assistant circuit attorney, St. Louis City (2000–2002)
- Assistant district attorney, Johnson County District Attorney's Office (2002–2007)
- Assistant prosecutor, Jackson County (2007–2010)
- Prosecutor, Shawnee City (2010–2017)
- City prosecutor, City of Lake Quivira (2010–2017)
Ashford grew up on a farm near Summerfield in Marshall County, Kansas, according to a Kansas Courts news release. She served as a board member of the Kansas District Magistrate Judges Association from 2018 to 2020 and as president of the association from 2020 to 2022, according to the same release.
She is a member of the Kansas Bar Association, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, Johnson County Bar Association, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and Kansas District Magistrate Judges Association, according to her court profile.
Bar association evaluations
The Johnson County Bar Association has surveyed attorneys about Ashford's performance three times:
- 2018: 88% of responding attorneys (67 responses) said she should be retained.
- 2020: 80% of responding attorneys (44 responses) said she should be retained.
- 2022: 80% of responding attorneys (46 responses) said she should be retained.
Awards and recognition
The Kansas District Magistrate Judges Association awarded Ashford the Lee Nusser Award for Outstanding Magistrate Judge of 2022, according to a Kansas Courts news release. The award recognizes a magistrate judge for outstanding achievement in supporting the position of Kansas district magistrate judges and the association. It also honors judges who enhance the role of the Kansas judiciary and display the dignity and integrity of the position.
Editor's note: This profile was compiled from public court records, Kansas Courts news releases and BallotReady election data. No issue questionnaire responses were available for this candidate.
