For years, party affiliation has been considered the most powerful cue when it comes to determining the candidate voters are likely to identify with. Party affiliation not only influences voters’ choices in political elections, but also the election of judges. However, it should also be noted that not all Americans are partisan. Voters who affiliate or associate themselves with parties are referred to as partisan voters while those whose choices are not influenced by parties are referred to as non-partisan voters. This paper would explore various advantages and disadvantages associated with both partisan and non-partisan election methods in the context of judicial elections and how the methods determine who becomes a judge.
Partisan Election Method
The first advantage of partisan election method is that it allows voters to choose candidates they with whom they associate ( Bonneau & Cann, 2015) . Put differently, partisan election method clears the confusion and voters are able to express their party stance. The second advantage of partisan election method is that it produces elected officials who are more representative of the voters’ political ideology. On the other hand, partisan election method is disadvantageous because it does not take into account the candidate’s ability to provide services. Also, partisan elections tend to be class-oriented and this leads to underrepresentation of the interests of lower socio-economic class of the general population.
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Non-partisan Election Method
Nonpartisan election method is advantageous because it produces elected officials who are oriented to service provision. Each candidate is judge not based on his or her party affiliation, but on the basis of merit and ability to serve the people (Campbell, Green & Layman, 2011). Secondly, nonpartisanship yields healthy cooperation among officials affiliated to different parties. Because officials elected using non-partisan methods do not affiliate to any party, they are likely to work together for the benefit of the general populace. On the other hand, nonpartisan election method can be disadvantageous because it creates confusion among voters (Campbell, Green & Layman, 2011). In this case, voters who have no party affiliation are likely to turn to whatever cue is available and select candidates even if they know nothing about them. Often, nonpartisan voters’ choices would be influenced by other factors such as race and ethnicity while ignoring important factors such as ideology and candidate’s ability to deliver service.
Judicial Elections
Partisanship and non-partisanship play an important role in determining who would become a judge in judicial elections. In a partisan election method, candidates who are affiliated to a party that has the highest number of voters or supporters is likely to become a judge ( Bonneau & Cann, 2015) . In a non-partisan election method, on the other hand, a candidate’s success is determined by his or her ability to deliver service, his or her ideology, or his or her ethnicity or race.
Which Method is the Best?
Non-partisan election method is the best method because it produces judicial officials who are accountable for their behaviors and decisions and who are directly answerable to the people who elected them. This is opposed to the partisan election method that is likely to produce judges who are answerable to parties to which they are oriented. Through nonpartisan election methods, judges are insulated from vicissitudes of political tides ( Bonneau & Cann, 2015) . Also, nonpartisan elections lead to election of jurists who are qualified because voters make decisions based on the candidate’s objective merit.
References
Bonneau, C. W., & Cann, D. M. (2015). Party identification and vote choice in partisan and nonpartisan elections. Political Behavior , 37 (1), 43-66. www.jstor.org/stable/43653417?seq=1
Campbell, D. E., Green, J. C., & Layman, G. C. (2011). The party faithful: Partisan images, candidate religion, and the electoral impact of party identification. American Journal of Political Science, 55(1), 42–58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5907.2010.00474.x
