1

Above is an opinion column from the Houston Chronicle.

https://harrisvotes.com/SampleBallot/VoterBallot/E/0807-189.pdf

Above is a precinct specific sample ballot for the November 6 election, for a precinct in Harris County that is located within the city limits of Houston.

76 partisan judicial elections will be on the ballot. Ultimately, I suspect that probably 98% of voters will handle it via the “straight ticket” option, not even considering one of those races on the merits or even looking at them at all.

As the above editorial states, voters don’t have nearly the information they need to make a good faith determination of the superior judicial candidate. Which sadly means that the R or D behind the name will be the determining factor.

What an idiotic way to select a judiciary.

Texas is in my “big three” of judicial cluster *****, along with my own State of Pennsylvania and New York State.

Even if voters had sufficient information to do so, to expect voters to thoroughly consider that many judicial races is entirely unrealistic. And if raises were changed to non-partisan, given the number of races, voters would likely either Christmas tree the judicial races or simply not bother to vote them at all.

Ultimately, the solution is for an entire nuke and replace of the Constitutional provisions related to the judiciary, such as occurred in Florida in the 1950’s and 1960’s and to a lesser extent in the 1970’s.

I am not picking on Texas alone by any means. My own State of Pennsylvania and New York State both require equally drastic reform. Other States need lesser reform.

2

I just noted somewhere that 2018 will be the last year of straight ticket voting in Texas.

That ought to make all those judicial races rather interesting starting in 2020. :smile:

Again, I suspect many people will simply mark the R or D as appropriate in those future races.

3

Election day is here and after reading some comments in other threads, thought it might be appropriate to bump this thread to point out, once again, the idiocy of using partisan elections to select judges.

4

Why you hate 'mocracy?

5

There are limits to democracy. :smile:

Particularly when your calling on the average lay voter to make choices they are not possibly qualified to make.

My deepest contempt is reserved for partisan judicial elections.

6

Jeez I should move down to TX and and get my name on the ballot to be a judge

7

Not that hard to do. :smile:

Don’t have to be a licensed attorney to hold some judicial offices in Texas. :smile:

8

Voting for judges in my estimation is one of the most dumb things we ever do. No one outside of a handful of people ever really vet judges they blindly just vote for them on both sides.

Hell I voted yes to retain every single one here in Kansas and quite frankly those judges could rule against everything I stand for. My point is it would be better for those that that actually understand the judiciary as far as how judges rule to make recommendations rather than just throw their name on a ballot yes or no.

9

I understand. There really isn’t a good way to do it.

10

Sometimes it works out…

11

You have just identified why our Founders chose to create a “Republican Form of Government” as opposed to a democracy in which the people legislate by popular vote.

In Federalist No. Ten, an advantage of a republican form of government is noted as follows:

A republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking. Let us examine the points in which it varies from pure democracy, and we shall comprehend both the nature of the cure and the efficacy which it must derive from the Union.

The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are: first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended.

The effect of the first difference is, on the one hand, to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country, and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations. Under such a regulation, it may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the representatives of the people, will be more consonant to the public good than if pronounced by the people themselves, convened for the purpose.

Let us recall that Walter E. Kidd, publisher of the Dakota Ruralist during the late 1800s, declared on its front page a motto "Socialism in Our Time.”

As opposed to a constitutionally limited Republican Form of Government, with elected representatives legislating, Mr. Kidd advanced democracy via initiative and referendum on a statewide level ___ a very dangerous system which amounts to mob rule government inviting the wants and passions of a majority to rule over those who are outvoted.

JWK

**John Adams was absolutely correct when he pointed out that "democracy will envy all, contend with all, endeavor to pull down all; and when by chance it happens to get the upper hand for a short time, it will be revengeful, bloody, and cruel…". Witness today the suicidal path our democrat socialists have chosen to take, supported by a Fifth Column media and Yellow Journalists.**

12

When I voted for judges in Harris county back in 1975 and 1976. I pulled the straight dem ticket and then deselected the judges who were suspicious or criminals.

worked out well for me.

Allan