Judicial Selection Reform – Why to vote YES!
Voters deserve a voice. Choose the democratic process!
Make our courts fair and accountable to the people. Voters deserve a voice in our justice system. Our courts should reflect Kansas values. The courts should serve justice, not special interests.
Currently, unelected people pick the nominees to serve on our Kansas Supreme Court. This “Missouri Model” bypasses the will of the people, gives power to select lawyers, and allows special interests to influence the court.
The current model allows for the Supreme Court Nominating Commission comprised of five attorneys (elected by lawyers) and four citizens (chosen by the governor) to choose three nominees who will go before the governor, and the governor then appoints one of those three nominees. With this current system, attorneys chosen by other attorneys have the most power. The people of Kansas have no say, only four citizens chosen by the governor – who are outnumbered by the lawyers. Do you think the majority of lawyers interpret the Kansas and US Constitutions to mean what they actually say? Or do lawyers reshape meaning based on their own interpretation rather than original intent and original expository writings? Consider that Kansas’s judicial system has been repeatedly overturned by the US Supreme Court — 8 out of 9 times since 2007.
Herein the battle lies. Can we trust the meaning that our framers put forth, or do we want biased interpretations that seek to remake its meaning? Let’s at least let the People of Kansas decide. On the August 4 ballot, Vote YES to elect our Kansas Supreme Court justices and bring power back to the People. Elections bring sunlight to the process — allowing open debate of judicial philosophy, media scrutiny, and real Public input. Sunshine is the best disinfectant — let’s bring transparency to our courts.