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Sunday, April 23, 2006
Ind. Courts - Marion County judicial election
The Indianapolis Star today has a story by Richard D. Walton on the Marion County system of electing judges. Some quotes:
The May 2 judicial primary election in Marion County will produce 20 winners and likely result in a general election in November that has no losers.A side-bar to the story gives the results of the recent Indianapolis Bar Association survey:Such is the county's Rube Goldberg-like system for choosing Superior Court judges, a blend of party politics and safeguards to keep campaigning to a minimum.
Marion Superior Court Judge Robert R. Altice Jr. calls it a "hybrid" system that provides for party input while giving voters a say. But others say it confuses voters unfamiliar with the glut of candidates and injects politics into what should be a decision about judicial qualifications. * * *
Unlike the rancorous campaigns sometimes waged by candidates seeking other offices, judicial races in Marion County tend to be quiet affairs. This may be due to the continuing efforts to make the local bench bipartisan.
Marion County has 32 Superior Court judges. They face the voters in staggered years. For example, the Republican and Democratic parties each have selected nine candidates in the primary. Of the 18 candidates who would run in the fall, the top 17 vote getters were elected. It was dubbed "the odd man out" rule.
A new law, however, changes the math. With four new judgeships to be phased in over three years, each party this primary can select nine candidates. The parties' chairmen then select a 10th contender.
This November, 20 judges will be elected, which means -- barring a third-party upset -- all 20 of the major-party candidates will be victorious. Eventually, the local bench could be equally divided between the two parties. * * *
By contrast, some states select judges in one or another version of a "merit" system. Instead of being elected, judges are chosen by nominating panels, which proponents say are better able than voters to weigh the candidates' qualifications. Judges are then appointed, typically by the governor.
That's how Indiana selects its Supreme Court justices. While they periodically appear on the ballot, it is not for re-election. People cast an up-or-down vote on whether the jurist should be retained.
[Jesse Rutledge, a spokesman for Justice at Stake, a Washington, D.C.-based group that aims to keep U.S. courts fair and impartial] says 16 states appoint Supreme Court justices with subsequent retention votes; 12 use appointment with no retention provision; and 22 have competitive elections.
In Marion County, the parties "slate" the candidates they want before the primary. That translates into party backing -- a huge advantage.
But those who favor elections argue that even where judges are selected by panels, politics can be involved.
A survey of local attorneys by the Indianapolis Bar Association asked the lawyers which candidates for Marion Superior Court judge they would recommend. Here are the results. The numbers show the percentage of respondents who recommended each candidate:For more, see this ILB entry from April 19th.Michael D. Keele (96.6 percent).
Robert R. Altice Jr. (96 percent).
Mark E. Stoner (95.2 percent).
Heather A. Welch (92.5 percent).
Carol J. Orbison (90.4 percent).
Grant W. Hawkins (90 percent).
William J. Nelson (88.4 percent).
Sheila A. Carlisle (88 percent).
Linda E. Brown (85.9 percent).
Reuben B. Hill (82.5 percent).
Scherry "S.K." Reid (82.2 percent).
Barbara Collins (80.6 percent).
Clark H. Rogers (79.6 percent).
Thomas J. Carroll (74.9 percent).
John F. Hanley (71.9 percent).
William E. Young (70.1 percent).
William R. Fatout (67.2 percent).
Jose Salinas (61.4 percent).
Becky Pierson-Treacy (58.5 percent).
Karen Celestino-Horseman (44 percent).
LilaBerdia Batties (29.6 percent).
Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 23, 2006 06:42 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts