On June 5, the North Carolina legislature passed HB 222, which (assuming it is signed by the Governor) will end most elections for Supreme Court Justice. The bill says that if a member of the State Supreme Court who has already been elected at least once desires to continue to serve another term, he can inform state officials in the year preceding the expiration of his or her term that he wants a retention election. Then, instead of facing an opponent, he or she would simply be listed on the ballot, with the voters permitted to vote “yes” or “no” on whether to retain that judge.
Here is the text of the bill. Justices who were appointed and never elected would not be eligible for retention elections. Under the current law, State Supreme Court justices run in non-partisan elections every time their term expires.
At the beginning of the 2015 session, there were proposals to convert State Supreme Court elections to partisan elections, but that idea did not pass.
Ah, it is wonderful to live in this age, when my own state has now achieved Soviet-style elections. I have heard it said that Henry Ford promoted his original cars by promising, “You can have any color you want, as long as it’s black.” Now, the state is proud to announce that I can vote for anyone I want, as long as it’s X.” How liberating it is to be free at last, free at last, great God A’mighty, free at last, of needing to choose.
We here in California (unfortunately) have this “Yes” or “No” vote to continue a justice in office. Though some years back Chief Justice Rose Bird was deposed by this system, it is not an effective method being virtually impossible to get people interested in a Yes/No “election” for justices. Regular candidates create more interest among the voting public. It is a mistake for No. Carolina to make such a change and take away the right to vote for any office.