Editor’s note: As part of the Sergeant Bluff Advocate’s coverage of the Nov. 3, 2026, general election, candidates were invited to introduce themselves and explain their positions on issues related to the offices they are seeking. Each candidate received the same opportunity to respond to 10 questions, with a limit of 150 words per answer. Responses are published as submitted and have not been edited for content.
(SBA) - Ben Mulford is seeking election as Woodbury County attorney. A criminal defense attorney and former United States Marine, Mulford said his experience has shaped his commitment to public service and his interest in addressing public safety, mental health, homelessness and the underlying causes of crime.
The following are Mulford’s responses to questions submitted by the Sergeant Bluff Advocate.
(Q) -Please introduce yourself to our readers. What experience in your legal career, public service and community involvement has prepared you to serve as Woodbury County Attorney?
(A) -Howdy! My name is Ben Mulford and I’m running for Woodbury County Attorney. I’ve been a criminal defense attorney in Woodbury County since 2021. Before that I worked to prevent elder abuse and was even the public guardian for the State of Iowa. I paid for law school with the post-9/11 GI Bill and I’ve worked in public service since I was 19.
My time in the Marines and elsewhere taught me leadership skills that the County Attorney’s office could benefit from. As a defense attorney I’ve realized that serving as County Attorney requires more than enforcing the law. It’s about building a safer and stronger community. This includes thinking about the long-term which is why I’m dedicated to addressing mental health, homelessness, and the root causes of the crimes I see.
(Q) -Why are you seeking the office of Woodbury County Attorney, and what would be your three highest priorities if elected?
(A) -I am running for County Attorney because when I see problems I don’t expect them to be fixed downstream. I believe that many problems in the criminal justice system could be addressed from the County Attorney level. Things like:
· Mental Health- I want to expand Mental Health court. Begun over a decade ago, the court is an excellent resource to help defendants whose mental health issues led them to be before the court.
· Homelessness- I will ensure the office has a major role in establishing homeless court. The homeless population in Sioux City is growing. The County Attorney’s office should recognize the barriers to housing and work reasonably to reduce or remove them.
· Data- We have untapped resources in the data for crimes in Woodbury County. If the data tells us where we are, we can choose a better direction for the future.
Ben Mulford
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(Q) -The County Attorney has considerable discretion when determining whether to file charges, what charges are appropriate and how cases are resolved. What principles would guide your prosecutorial decisions, and how would you balance public safety, accountability and fairness?
(A) -I have many ideas and beliefs on this subject but every decision will need to be made with consideration of the effects. That said, my first mandate to the office will be simple to say and implement: “For every case, take action toward the end goal of never seeing this defendant again.”
(Q) -Violent crime, drug-related offenses and repeat offenders are concerns for communities throughout Woodbury County. What approach would you take toward prosecuting serious and repeat offenders, and what role should alternatives to incarceration play for appropriate nonviolent offenders?
(A) -I will take every violent case in Woodbury County seriously and prosecute accordingly.
As for repeat offenders, no one is the villain in their own story. I have yet to meet someone who told me they wanted to be a felon when they grew up. Something along the way diverted them from the path they wanted to take. We need early intervention to help offenders escape the cycle of Crime=>Charge=>Punishment=>Crime. Every offender we remove from that cycle saves countless resources.
As for alternatives to incarceration, I believe there are much more effective means of punishment. Once upon a time I had to clean up after a rodeo as punishment for my own youthful transgression. The piles I had to shovel did more for me than any fine. I don’t even remember if I had to pay one.
(Q) -Illegal drugs, including methamphetamine, fentanyl and other opioids, continue to affect families and communities. How should the County Attorney’s Office approach drug cases, particularly when distinguishing between individuals involved in trafficking and those whose criminal behavior is connected to addiction?
(A) -No one wants to be a felon when they grow up, and no one wants to be an addict when they grow up either. But it’s important to know your enemy.
Methamphetamine releases 4 to 19 times the dopamine that your brain normally creates. Now think of someone who has had their children taken from them, who can’t find a job, who can’t afford their apartment, etc. People turn to drugs because they’re almost guaranteed to make them feel better.
Regular users are users for a reason. I want to expand mental health court because whatever drove someone to take that first hit is likely still a problem no matter how long they’ve used. I want to get users the help they need.
I also want to try to dry up the source of new users through accurate and early youth intervention.
(Q) -Crime victims and their families often interact with the criminal justice system during extremely difficult circumstances. What would you do to ensure victims are kept informed, treated respectfully and given an appropriate voice throughout the prosecution of a case?
(A) -I would like to figure out a way to incorporate a social worker to work with the office. If you’ve ever known a “case manager” their skillset is a carbon-copy of the skills that are needed to work with crime victims. Whether it’s coordinating schedules, doing interviews, or removing barriers, case management is a skillset that most county attorneys develop by necessity. Having a trained professional would be enormously helpful to the office and victims in general.
I should note, my wife is a social worker. I would not hire her as it would be a blatant conflict of interest. But knowing her work and the skills she uses did inspire this idea.
(Q) -Juvenile cases can involve balancing accountability with the possibility of rehabilitation. What philosophy would guide your office’s handling of juvenile offenders, particularly in cases involving serious or repeated offenses?
(A) -I think all cases should involve balancing accountability and rehabilitation, but let’s talk about juveniles.
It starts with identifying those who will need help early. I want to introduce a program where parents going to prison can sign a form that lets a school know that the parent’s child will likely need some counseling. I think eliminating the silos of adult and juvenile systems would be a good start. Coordinate cases that encompass both parents and juveniles so that all parties get the help they need.
(Q) -The County Attorney’s Office works closely with law enforcement agencies throughout Woodbury County. How would you build and maintain productive relationships with those agencies while also ensuring that charging decisions and legal judgments remain independent and based on the law and evidence?
(A) -I have extensive personal experience with law enforcement. In the Marines I went to Iraq with multiple Military Police and Correctional Officers. Building and maintaining productive relationships comes down to respect. I respect and appreciate the work law enforcement does in Woodbury County. I have no problem working with them and doing what everyone wants: Making Woodbury County safer.
As for ensuring charging decisions and legal judgments remain independent, that’s the job of a county attorney. I, as a Woodbury County resident, expect the County Attorney to make charging decisions based solely on the law and evidence. As County Attorney, I will do that. I will always stand by my name and my signature on every document.
(Q) -Residents of smaller communities such as Sergeant Bluff, Salix, Sloan and other areas outside Sioux City may have different public safety concerns and resources than the county’s largest city. How would you ensure the County Attorney’s Office remains responsive and accessible to residents and law enforcement agencies throughout all of Woodbury County?
(A) -Woodbury County is 878 square miles encompassing almost 107 thousand people. All of those people are different and none of them have the exact same situation or concerns as another. James has done a good job of incorporating and reaching out to smaller communities to hear their concerns. This isn’t an area that I see as having much room for improvement.
(Q) -Public confidence in the justice system depends in part on consistency, transparency and equal treatment under the law. If elected, what steps would you take to ensure the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office operates fairly, professionally and transparently, regardless of a person’s background, position or political connections?
(A) -I think that consistency, transparency, and equal treatment has to begin with keeping track. What is the recidivism rate in Woodbury County? Is it higher or lower depending on your race, income level, or influential friends? We don’t know because the office isn’t keeping track.
Further, the office really dropped the ball in 2023. 52 counts of voter fraud went ignored. This is another reason transparency will be a high priority.
Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions, comments, or anything else please contact me at ben@benforwwoodbury.com. Take good care. ~Ben Mulford
