Foreword
Federal judges — including those on the U.S. Supreme Court — are appointed by the president and serve until retirement or death. At the State level, however, many judges are elected by voters and have to campaign for office in much the same way that politicians do. Controversies most often associated with legislative and executive elections are increasingly arising during judicial elections as well, raising key questions about these individuals’ independence on the bench. Critics of the system of electing judges say it demeans the judiciary by subjecting it to the often-harsh rhetoric of the campaign trail and opens the…
