L&T Publisher Earl Watt

Who do you trust more, the voting population of the entire State of Kansas or five lawyers appointed by the Kansas Bar Association?

That’s what will be on the primary ballot in August, and while online chatter is claiming that voting for Kansas Supreme Court justices would be politicized with an election, the fact is the process is already politicized. The only difference is whether you believe five hand-picked lawyers or the entire voting population of Kansas would better represent the public’s concerns for judicial issues.

The current system for selecting justices involves a nine-person panel with five chosen by the Kansas Bar Association and four by the current governor. That means the five lawyers will always be able to outvote any elected official on picking three nominees for an opening on the highest court in Kansas, and the governor then chooses from the three names presented by the panel.

Do you truly believe the five people chosen to represent the Kansas Bar aren’t chosen for political reasons?

This isn’t about partisanship as it is being portrayed by those who do not want Kansans to have a voice.

This is about credibility.

How can we accept decisions made by a Supreme Court that has no accountability to the people?

How are Kansas supposed to vote to retain a justice whom they’ve never met and never hear about?

By requiring a statewide vote for justices, or even by districts, Kansans will gt to know those who seek to serve on the high court and perhaps become more educated about issues facing the court.

By requiring elections, the people of Kansas will become more engaged with the judicial branch, a coequal branch that can make decisions on whether or not education is properly funded, if laws should be overturned, or if the Kansas Constitution is being followed.

These decisions can override decisions made by the elected representatives of the people of Kansas, and they can do it without ever being chosen by the people or confirmed by the legislature.

When a government is supposed to have checks and balances, the Kansas Supreme Court has no check under the current system, and it is the only state in the nation that allows a majority of the selection commission to be appointed by the bar.

Why are Kansans trusted to vote to retain or not retain but not to make the initial selection?

It seems there are some in Kansas that do not trust the will of the people or who believe only the elite should be allowed to make these decisions.

If that were the case, why not let the lawyers choose the governor? Why not let teachers alone choose school boards?

The answer is we shouldn’t let any one profession make decisions like that. Everyone in Kansas has a stake in the decisions made at the Kansas Supreme Court, and every voting Kansan should be able to know who wants a seat on the highest court in Kansas and how they plan to serve.

It is time to side with the people and vote yes on allowing Kansans to vote for our Kansas Supreme Court justices.