The Problem in Electing Judges in Partisan Elections

The Problem in Electing Judges in Partisan Elections

The state of Texas elects the judges for their judicial system in partisan elections, with each candidate’s political party on the ballot. A judge’s job in the state of Texas is to decide what is fair and what is best for the people of the state. If a judge is too far on the republican side of the spectrum or too far on the democratic side of the spectrum, it can cause for the judge’s viewpoint to become cloudy and can sometimes result in a wrongful conviction. In this essay, I am going to go over the many complications and errors that can occur with electing judges in partisan elections.

In the state of Texas, there are two prominent political parties: republican/conservative or democrat/liberal. Texas is a red/republican state, so it makes sense that the voters would also elect a republican judge. A judge, wanting to be reelected, may rule for something unfair in his court because he knows it will help him keep his job. The current case in Dallas of Botham Jean being shot in his own apartment by an off-duty police officer would be a tough case to land on a Texas judge’s lap. The officer was off duty and went to his apartment, mistaking it as her own, and shot Botham Jean because she thought he was in intruder (CBS News, 2018). This case has had many people divided: mostly republicans in support of the police officer and mostly democrats wanting justice for Botham’s life. A judge’s ruling in this case could cost him a lot of his voter percentage if he decides wrong.

 The republican party, in Texas, is mostly made up of older, white people. This can cause some unfairness towards the minorities of Texas when they have to face in front of a judge and the judge wants to keep the support of his voters. A judge that has been elected, is going to have a bench that matches his political views. Having a lack of minorities in the judicial system and bench can result in cases involving minorities to be ruled unfairly because not one person judging them can relate or understand their situation.