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Judicial Independence The election of judges should not be a partisan election, as are other offices. Unlike other elected officials, judges are limited in the scope of their jobs to the application of the law to those cases which come before them. Unlike police officers, who can decide when to ticket or arrest and when to look the other way, a judge must act on every matter that comes before him or her. This action, which consists of determining, interpreting, and applying the laws - is not ever intended to be a function of partisan politics. Each party who appears before a judge has the constitutionally protected right to be seen as classless, genderless, raceless, ageless and without any social or political affiliations. If a judge is elected by his/her political party, that judge cannot help but feel obligations – or at least commitment to - the goals and beliefs of that party, if not necessarily to the individual movers and shakers within the party. Unlike other offices, judges must be lawyers. They should campaign on and be elected or defeated by virtue of their record and ability in that field, not by their ability to gain partisan support and bring in political “machines” to build support on party lines. Judges