Promoting Confidence in the Elected Judiciary

“Without public confidence, the judicial branch could not function.” In re Raab, 100 N.Y. 2d 305, 315-16, 763 N.Y.S.2d 213, 218 (2003).

This year’s Law Day theme calls on us to reflect upon a fundamental tenet of American democracy—the right to vote and the importance of each and every citizen’s exercise of the elective franchise. In New York, where 73 percent of the state’s full-time judges are elected, ensuring the integrity of judicial elections is vital to instilling public trust and confidence in the judiciary. As the arbiter of disputes between private parties and between the government and private parties, the judiciary plays a critical role in our democracy, and maintaining its independence and impartiality, as well as the public perception of its integrity, is absolutely essential. Accordingly, the court system has gone to great lengths to foster dignified judicial campaigns and improve voter participation. From creating independent screening panels for elective judicial positions and posting voter guides with information on judicial candidates, to establishing a Judicial Campaign Ethics Center and adopting a rule restricting the assignment of cases involving attorneys and litigants who contributed to judicial campaigns, New York’s judiciary is dedicated to ensuring that New Yorkers have confidence in their elected judiciary and that every vote counts.