Texas Government Essay

Texas Government Essay

The way we select judges in Texas is quite different than other states and even the process at the federal level is quite different.  This should not be surprising given the knowledge of our Texas Constitution wanting to limit the power of executive offices, like the Governor being able to appoint many judges/justices to the bench.  While the voters are very involved in this process, is it the best democratic way to choose judges if voter turnout is low for judicial elections?

  1. Why does Texas use partisan elections to choose its judges? What is the basis for the process?

Does the election process really hold judges accountable if voter turnout for judicial elections is low? What is the Missouri plan?

What is the potential harm or impact political parties may have on judges’ decisions.

Does money play too big of a role in Texas judicial elections? If so, how do you think we can reform the system to make money less important?