judgesonmerit.org

In a poignant letter published in the Leader-Telegram, one Wisconsin voter describes how disillusioned recent judicial elections have left him:

The last two state Supreme Court races have destroyed the respect I once had [for the judicial branch]. These races are by law supposed to be nonpartisan, but these last two races have been closer to a cattle auction than any elections I have ever seen.

This captures the essence of the problem with judicial elections. Because of the partisanship and money involved, regular people lose confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary. The third branch of government has neither the power of the sword nor the purse. Its power stems from the trust of the people. By electing judges, we squander that trust.

The Wisconsin voter laments, “Wisconsin may be the national leader of the worst examples of how not to select the top judicial leaders of state government.” Hopefully, Pennsylvanians will choose Merit Selection for the appellate courts and avoid similar disillusionment and further erosion in public confidence in the courts.

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