Judicial Campaigns and Elections
Voter Guides
Alabama
The Alabama League of Women Voters has prepared an online voters' guide for the 2010 appellate court elections. For each candidate, the guide provides biographical information, educational and professional qualifications, and their answers to fundamental, nonpartisan questions.
Alaska
The Lieutenant Governor publishes an official election pamphlet, which includes information on the judicial evaluation and retention system, the Alaska Judicial Council's evaluations, and paid statements and photographs submitted by candidates. The election pamphlet is mailed to Alaska voters and is available online. Click here for the 2010 pamphlets.
The Alaska Judicial Council also releases evaluations of judges who are up for retention. These evaluations are available here.
Arizona
The commission on judicial performance review issues a report for inclusion in the Voter Information Guide published by the Arizona Secretary of State, which is mailed to all households with a registered voter. The report includes the commission's finding as to whether each judge whose name will appear on the ballot "meets" or "does not meet" performance standards. Any judges who are found not to meet standards are to be listed first. Click here to view the 2010 reports. The commission also uses its website, www.azjudges.info, to disseminate voter information.
Arkansas
California
Superior court candidates may file a candidate statement for inclusion in the voter's pamphlets prepared by the registrar of voters in each county. However, candidates who wish to be included in the voter's pamphlet may be required to pay their estimated pro rata share of the cost of printing and mailing the statement. Many candidates are unable or unwilling to publish a statement in the voter's pamphlet because of the cost.
Colorado
Click here for the 2010 judicial performance reviews of judges standing for retention.
Connecticut
Connecticut does not publish an official voter guide with information about probate court candidates.
Delaware
District of Columbia
Federal
Florida
Several months before the general election, the Florida Bar produces a pamphlet that explains the merit selection and retention process and includes photographs and biographical information for appellate court judges standing for retention. The pamphlets are made available to the public and to other concerned organizations for distribution. Click here for the 2010 pamphlet.
Georgia
The League of Women Voters of Georgia provides an interactive online voter guide that includes information about judicial races and candidates.
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Since the 2002 elections, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform has prepared an online voters' guide for judicial elections. The site provides judicial candidate profiles, information on the court system and the election process in Illinois, and links to bar associations and other sources of information. A guide for the 2010 elections is not yet available.
The Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice also provided an online voters' guide for the 2010 general elections. The site included links to bar association evaluations of judicial candidates.
The Illinois State Bar Association evaluates appellate court candidates and circuit court candidates in Cook County based on background investigations and in-person interviews. The ISBA also conducts a judicial advisory poll for appellate court candidates and circuit court candidates outside Cook County. Click here for the 2010 evaluation and poll results.
The Chicago Council of Lawyers evaluates judges seeking retention and candidates seeking to fill vacancies in contested elections. Click here for the 2010 evaluations.
Indiana
The Indiana Judicial Branch, Division of State Court Administration has created a voter guide, that contains information about the judges and justices who are on the ballot for retention in November. The guide will be available through Election Day, Tuesday, November 6th, 2012.
Iowa
The Iowa Judicial Branch publishes voter information about judges standing for retention.
The Iowa State Bar Association publishes the results of its judicial plebiscite survey one month before the general election. Click here for the 2012 plebiscite results.
Kansas
Evaluations for judges standing for retention are provided by the commission on judicial performance. Click here for the 2010 results.
Kentucky
Louisiana
Louisiana does not publish an official voter guide with information about judicial candidates.
Maine
Maryland
The local chapters of the League of Women Voters of Maryland offer nonpartisan voter guides that include judicial candidates for the primary and general elections. Guides for 2010 are available here.
Massachusetts
Michigan
For the first time in 2000, the Secretary of State's office provided an electronic voter guide with information about statewide candidates, statewide ballot proposals, and political parties. For judicial candidates, the guide provides links to the candidates' website. The 2010 guide is available here.
The League of Women Voters of Michigan offers nonpartisan voter guides for the primary and general elections. For the 2010 election, the guide asks supreme court candidates four questions and provides information about court of appeals races in which all candidates are unopposed.
Minnesota
In its 2010 voter guide, the League of Women Voters Minnesota provides voter information by address that includes a list of judicial races and candidates.
Mississippi
Missouri
In 2008, Missouri's supreme court amended its rules to establish a judicial performance evaluation program for judges included in the Nonpartisan Court Plan. 2010 evaluation results are available online.
Montana
Nebraska
The Nebraska State Bar Association provides a 2010 Judicial Retention Information Kit. The kit includes background information on the Bar's judicial evaluation poll, poll results, profiles of judges standing for retention, and factors to be considered in casting retention votes.
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
The New Mexico League of Women Voters offers an online voters' guide for 2010 with information on supreme court and court of appeals candidates.
New York
North Carolina
Passed in 2002, the Judicial Campaign Reform Act calls for the distribution to all households in the state of a voter guide about appellate court candidates. The voter guide is prepared, published, and distributed by the state board of elections with money from the Public Campaign Fund. The 2010 guide is available here, including a special edition voter guide to educate voters about instant runoff voting in a court of appeals race for which there are thirteen candiates.
The North Carolina Center for Voter Education has provided a voter guide for appellate races since the 2002 elections. The 2010 guide is available here.
North Dakota
Ohio
The secretary of state offers a searchable voter guide that provides professional, educational, and biographical information about judicial candidates.
The League of Women Voters of Ohio provides a voter's guide that includes supreme court candidates, with biographical information and their answers to three questions. The 2010 guide is available here.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma does not publish an official voter guide with information about judicial candidates.
Oregon
The Oregon State Bar provides a 2010 Judicial Candidate Voting Guide that includes information about the backgrounds and professional histories of judicial candidates. The bar also conducts a judicial preference poll.
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Carolina does not publish an official voter guide with information about probate court candidates.
South Dakota
South Dakota does not publish an official voter guide with information about judicial candidates.
Tennessee
Texas
The League of Women Voters of Texas provides a 2010 voter's guide for the general election that includes information about candidates for the supreme court and court of criminal appeals.
Utah
Vermont
Vermont does not publish an official voter guide with information about probate court candidates.
Virginia
Washington
A website called Voting for Judges offers information regarding candidate ratings, endorsements, and campaign contributors.
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
The League of Women Voters of Wyoming provided a Judicial Voters Guide for 2008. Information regarding the 2010 election is not yet available.