judgesonmerit.org

An editorial in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette proclaims that merit selection must not be buried with the bones of past reform initiatives in the Commonwealth’s “elephant’s graveyard of good ideas.”

Says the Post-Gazette,

Gov. Ed Rendell has long backed the idea and in his last year in office is supporting bills in the Legislature to reform the crazy way this state chooses judges. Pennsylvania is one of only six states that elects all its judges [in partisan elections] and being among the exceptions isn’t a sign of enlightenment.

Considering the high price tags on judicial races, the recent court scandals that have rocked the public’s confidence in our system, and an overall lack of relevant information available to voters about the prospective judges, it is clear that judicial elections do a grave disservice to Pennsylvanians.

But legislation pending in the Capitol could change all that.

The bills — HB 1621 and 1619 (sponsored by Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon) and SB 860 and 861 (Sen. Jane Earll, R-Erie) — demand urgency. To become law, the same bill must pass in successive sessions of the Legislature and then win in a public referendum.

This is one good idea for Pennsylvania that shouldn’t die.

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