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Cover Article
What are the potential implications of the passage of this bill for local judicial races down the road?
EB:The League of Women Voters is pleased to have joined with the Cincinnati Bar Association in holding judicial candidate forums for several years. Through the League’s Voter Guide and the forums we work to help voters make informed choices in local judi- cial races based on the qualifications of candidates and not their political party. We will continue our advocacy to ensure the Common Pleas and Municipal Court judicial elections remain nonpartisan and to educate voters on judicial candidate
qualifications.
GM:Because the law treats races for the Court of Common Pleas differently than races for the Court of Appeals, there is a substantial risk that voters will be confused by the presence of party affiliation in some races and the absence in others. Ultimately, more confu- sion will mean fewer voters participating in the election of judges, which is a bad
outcome.
JW:Local races may eventually go the same route. If that were to occur, it would make it much harder for non-endorsed candidates to win an
election.
AT:
As the Republican leader, I
recognize that, at least in my county, this poses a greater challenge to some candidates endorsed by my own political party. Nevertheless, we are committed to educating the public about why our philosophy is the better choice for voters as they make this decision at the polls.
AT:
A competent, experienced,
Why are local judicial races impor tant?
and independent judiciary is important everywhere. Our Founding Fathers saw the wisdom in an independent judiciary to check the power of the politi- cians and that wisdom endures. Electing judges who understand the limited role the courts should play in resolving disputes empowers citizens by leaving law-making up to the legislative branches of government. For many citizens, their only interaction with the judiciary is likely to be in traffic court or on a smaller matter that intermittently affects their lives. We must have a strong local judiciary to build confidence in our legal system and the role it plays in a free republic.
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EB:The League of Women Voters has participated in a local Court Watch project for the last few years with other civic organizations. Our members have seen first-hand the impact individual judges can have on citizens and our communities. The impact on the people appearing before them is multi- plied by the impact on family, friends and employers. Questions of judicial character and fairness could tear apart our commu- nities, just as confidence in the police has been shaken during the last year. Local judicial races are important because trust in the judicial system is essential for our
democracy.
GM:Locally, we have seen voters choose those judges who reflect the diversity of our community and who are qualified. In recent elections, voters in Hamilton County have chosen qualified candidates who will take on the pressing problems facing our legal system today, not yesterday. The judges we elect at the local trial court level have the biggest impact on the administration of justice in
Hamilton County.
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6 l September/October 2021 CBA REPORT
www.CincyBar.org