Montana Representative Michael More (R-Gallatin Gateway) has introduced HB 521, to require all state judges (except Justices of the Peace) to be elected and re-elected in partisan elections. Currently, Montana holds non-partisan judicial elections when an incumbent judge is leaving the bench. Judges whose term has expired, and who wish to remain in office, currently appear on the ballot with a retention question (voters check “yes” or “no” to determine whether to keep the judge in office). See this story. The bill was heard in the House Administration Committee on February 15, and the Committee will decide in a few days whether to pass the bill.
The trouble has always been that must people don’t know what a judge stands for since the judges don’t or can’t talk about issues. So who do I vote for? maybe it’s because I like the person of his or her looks or where the candidate lives. This could be a good idea for the voters of Montana.
Party hack judges = party hack *justice*.
What just happened in Egypt ???
You may have already noticed this Mr. Winger, but North Carolina has similar bill, House Bill 64 and Senate Bill 47, called Restore Partisan Judicial Elections, that simply would make judicial races partisan again.
I guess they noticed how well it works in Pennsylvania. 🙂
See the party hacks on the Michigan Supreme Court
nominations at party hack conventions — allegedly *nonpartisan* general elections.
Result – THE laughing stock court — nonstop overruling of Donkey opinions by later Elephant party hack majorities and vice versa.