Judicial elections across the country are increasingly becoming expensive campaigns into which special-interest money flows without end. As a result of a Supreme Court case in 2005, Minnesota’s historically fair and impartial courts could soon be up for sale.
Voters should always have the final say on whether a judge remains in office. But those decisions should be based on performance and qualifications, rather than partisan political interests. That’s why retention elections, when used with performance evaluations, are an effective way to preserve the role of voters in choosing judges, while limiting the influence of political parties and special interest groups in judicial elections.
Dirty political ads are appearing in judicial races in states like Wisconsin and Ohio. These types of ads erode the integrity of our courts and they are coming to Minnesota sooner then you think.
