Judicial Elections 2012

Nov. 7: Voters Reject Ballot Items on Merit Selection in Three States; Targeted High Court Justices Are Retained in Florida, Iowa

On Tuesday, voters in Missouri, Arizona and Florida rejected ballot items proposing to change the way judges are chosen under merit-based judicial selection systems (learn more from Gavel Grab). Organized campaigns to remove three Florida Supreme Court justices and one Iowa justice were rejected by voters in those states on Tuesday (Gavel Grab has details).

Nov. 5: North Carolina Court Race Turns Ugly With New Ad;  Spending in Michigan Supreme Court Race Tops $10 Million

The North Carolina Supreme Court race turned ugly: A super PAC aired an ad accusing candidate Judge Sam Ervin IV of ties to a former governor convicted of a crime (see Gavel Grab for ad). In Michigan, the state Democratic and Republican parties have poured $10 million into the contest for the state Supreme Court (for more, read Gavel Grab).

JAS-Brennan Release: Judicial Election TV Spending Sets New Record, Voters Reject Campaigns to Politicize Judiciary

Americans overwhelmingly rejected big-money attempts to hijack their courts on Election Day, Justice at Stake and the Brennan Center for Justice said in an analysis released on Wednesday. There was record spending in state supreme court races as super PACs and other outside groups spent millions on TV ads and direct mail to influence judicial contests. But voters rejected a series of expensive efforts to make courts accountable to partisans and special interests, the groups said.

2012 Judicial Election TV Ads

Shelia Johnson Treats Child Abusers with "Kid Gloves"

Bridget McCormack the "Wrong Choice for Michigan Families"

Roy Moore an "embarrassment"

The Michigan Supreme Court is "Not for sale"

Justice For All NC attack ad against Sam Ervin Jr

Progress Iowa wants you to "Do the Right Thing" and retain Justice Wiggins

Iowans for Freedom - Voting 'no' to Justice Wiggins is a "Slam Dunk"

Iowans for Freedom - We the People, not We the Courts

Flip Phillips - Experience

Judicial Crisis Network ad attacks Bridget Mary McCormack

NC Judicial Coalition - Paul Newby is "Fair and Impartial" 

Ohio GOP - Bill O'Neill can't be trusted to stand up for crime victims

 Sam Ervin - Are our courts for sale?

Are Johnson, Kelley and McCormack tough on crime?  Hardly, says MI GOP

Paul Newby is "Tough but Fair," says the North Carolina Judicial Coalition

Zahra, O'Brian, and Markman: Rule of Law Justices

Streak - Michigan Democratic State Central Committee

Justice Markman, Justice Zahra and Judge O'Brien: Defending the Constitution

 Remember - Michigan Democratic State Central Committee

Stand Up For Our Justices - Defend Justice From Politics

Progress Iowa - Keep Politics out of Courts, Vote Yes Wiggins

The National Organization for Marriage wants to "Hold Wiggins Accountable"

Restore Justice 2012: "Imagine a World Without Judicial Activism"

The West Wing cast encourages you to "Walk and Talk the Vote" and support Bridget Mary McCormack for Michigan Supreme Court

 Alabama Judge Roy Moore says he knows "our liberty is given by God, not Government."

A Texas ad sponsored by the campaign of Justice Don Willett says conservative leaders describe him as "the judicial remedy to Obamacare."