judgesonmerit.org

Prior to the November elections last year, the Philadelphia Inquirer published an editorial calling for merit selection, citing advertisements supporting Maureen Lally-Green purchased by a Virginia-based nonprofit which refused to disclose their funding sources.

Philadelphia Daily News columnist John Baer wrote last year that merit selection is sorely needed in Pennsylvania:

That we elect statewide judges at all is insane.

Their campaigns are funded by lawyers, law firms and other interests whose cases they hear, creating the impression that justice is for sale.

By choice or canon, candidates say little for fear of prejudging cases, leaving voters clueless as to what they might believe. We pick on the basis of a good-sounding name, gender, ballot position or whim. Crazy.