 "Photo: Elizabeth Moskowitz; The Daily Texan")
Although the presidential campaigns have sparked national and statewide enthusiasm, candidates in judicial contests remain unnoticed by Texans, according to a recent survey presented Wednesday at the Capitol.
The Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse launched a campaign Wednesday called “Good Judges Matter” to urge Texas voters to make their voices heard in “the least understood branch of government,” said Mike Hachtman, one of the group’s board members.
The non-partisan campaign will use an informational Web site, radio advertisements and brochures to disseminate the experience and philosophies of judicial candidates to Texas voters.
“From schools to the environment to health care, our judges make decisions that can impact our daily lives,” Hachtman said. “Yet so many voters didn’t cast ballots in the Supreme Court race.”
A survey conducted in July by Baselice & Associates polled more than 800 Texans, and 60 percent of Texas voters said they were interested in elections for president and U.S. senators, but only 30 showed any interest in judicial elections. In the 2004 general election, half a million — out of 7.5 million — did not vote in judicial contests.
There are three contested races for the Texas Supreme Court and many local judicial contests in the upcoming election. Supreme Court judges have a large impact on state laws because they can invalidate laws approved by the Texas Legislature, Hachtman said.
“You all know the names ‘Obama’ and ‘McCain,’ but there are other people on the ballot,” Hachtman said. “Texans simply don’t know enough about the candidates.”
Democratic Party volunteer Charlie Paine stood in the West Mall on Wednesday urging students to support Sen. Barack Obama and become involved in the Democratic Party. He admitted to knowing very little about the candidates in the judicial races.
“It’s more difficult to create awareness at the state level because some candidates are not well-known in the local regions,” he said.
Roger Borgelt, a Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse board member and Baselice attorney, said electing good judges who have the background to serve is critical. Issues that come before the state Supreme Court include health care and funding for public school systems, he said.
“As young people become voters, it’s important for them to be aware of how the courts affect their lives,” Borgelt said. “An informed electorate is a powerful electorate, and our survey shows that voters want more information so they can make informed choices in the contests.”
Many UT students showed disinterest or a lack of knowledge about the candidates for the judicial contests.
Biology senior Cari Sagum said she has not heard anything about the candidates, and business senior Andy Kuhn said he does not think the judicial races will have a direct effect on students or young people.
“The first time I voted, I either picked candidates at random or left it blank,” Sagum said. “I don’t think I will do that again. I will probably do research before I vote this time.”
When studio art senior Lauren Petrick learned of the informational Web site, she said, “That would be so perfect.”
“It’s important to vote in the judicial contests because the courts have so much control over the future of the state.”
