But issue attracts little attention
PIERRE - All five of South Dakota's Supreme
Court justices face re-election next month, although a voter
might be forgiven for not knowing that.
The justices run in a typically quiet retention election, not
the noisier atmosphere of a competitive campaign. Voters make a
yes or no decision on each of the five judges, basing their
decision, in theory, on the performance of each member of the
Supreme Court.
In reality, a lot of people won't know they have a voice in the
Supreme Court process until they see the ballot, said Barry
Vickrey, dean of the University of South Dakota School of Law.
"Certainly with this year's long ballot, what
are essentially uncontested (Supreme Court) races aren't likely
to get much attention from the public," Vickrey said. "Do most
people know the justices and their records? I doubt it,
candidly. You aren't going to see the TV spots. You aren't going
to see advertising."
Still, the voting public has the ultimate power of either
retaining or turning out one or all of the five justices, each
of whom makes a bit short of $106,000. If the justices pass this
year's vote, they'll face the voters again in a retention
election in eight years.
"Although each of the justices represents a district of the state, all five names will be on all of the ballots statewide," said Kea Warne, state election supervisor.
On the ballot are:
Each of the justices was recommended by the
state Judicial Qualifications Commission and appointed by the
governor sitting at the time.
If voters would toss out one of the sitting judges, the
commission - composed of two judges, three lawyers and two lay
members appointed by the governor - would recommend at least two
choices to the governor. The person appointed would serve three
years on the high court and then stand for retention at the next
general election. If retained, the new justice would be subject
to retention election again in eight years.
No justice ever has failed to clear a
retention election in South Dakota.
But it isn't easy running in such an election, says former Chief
Justice Robert Miller of Pierre. He ran in competitive campaigns
as a circuit judge and stood for two retention elections as a
member of the Supreme Court.
"It's hard to describe a retention election," Miller said.
"You're sitting there not knowing the feeling of the people.
There's a few stomach anti-acids until the first few returns
start coming in."
The retention system makes sense, though,
Miller said.
"If you're doing the job, you should get the support," he said.
"Typically, in states where people do remove a judge through the
retention process, there's an issue that has caused a great
public clamor or some questionable conduct."
South Dakota voters two years ago rejected a
proposed constitutional amendment that would have extended the
retention system to circuit judges.
Vickrey says the retention method for Supreme Court justices is
a hybrid of the federal "appointment for life" system and the
existing competitive-race circuit approach.
"I think there should be a heavy burden on anyone who wants to
remove a Supreme Court justice," he said. "It seems to me if
nobody feels strongly enough about one of the justices to wage a
campaign against that person, then they're doing a pretty good
job."
Reach Terry Woster at 605-224-2760.