Judges: Do you Know Who’s Running in Your Circuit?

Radio Commentary, WMVV 90.7 New Life FM, October 1, 2010
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. Last week I talked about the race for judges and I want to expand on that today. As I wrote my September newsletter, I was amazed to learn that 53 superior court judges have absolutely no opposition. They are judges now and, after they take the oath of office again in January, they will continue presiding over the same court, trying the same kind of cases they’re trying now. But voters in eight judicial circuits will elect 10 superior court judges that DO have opposition.

During my research, I learned that Superior Courts in Georgia are elected to serve specific judicial circuits and different circuits vote on different judges. For example, everyone’s ballot will include candidates for the Georgia Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals because those are state-wide races. But, since I vote in the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit, my ballot will list only one of the ten races for superior court. And the same is true for you. Your ballot will include candidates for the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, but whether or not you vote for a superior court judge depends on your judicial circuit.

Also in November, three judicial circuits will elect a district attorney, but in the other six circuits, the current district attorney has no opposition.

So, I have some questions for you. Are candidates for superior court judge or district attorney running in your judicial circuit? Do you know the name of your judicial circuit? Do you know the names of the candidates who may be running for judge in your area? If you don’t know your superior court judicial circuit, call the local library or the board of elections. After you know who’s running in your circuit, learn as much as you can about them and vote wisely on November 2nd.

My September newsletter includes research on the candidates for the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and the Superior Court judges that have opposition and I’ll be glad to send it to you if you need it. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.