Judicial elections at present a disaster. Thousands of judges up and down the ballot, typically appointed in very shady conditions & seeking election in obscure races. YET there’ve been pockets of successful activism where ppl have targeted these offices for change. Quick thread.
https://twitter.com/kathygriffin/status/1459223808049434632
What is key first of all is grasping why these offices matter — that’s why this activism in New Orleans last year to spotlight their role in the housing crisis and what they could do differently was so fascinating. theappeal.org/politicalrepor…
A few months later, New Orleans activists mobilized to “flip the bench” by putting public defenders committed to reforms on it: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…
Two won. Here’s one example of why it mattered:
Two won. Here’s one example of why it mattered:
https://twitter.com/taniel/status/1373361588648960001?s=21
Also in 2020, a slate of public defenders that ran on changing incarceration and bail also was successful in Las Vegas (provoking the ire of the DA who suddenly wanted to change judicial election rules now that the punitive side wasn’t obviously winning) theappeal.org/politicalrepor…
In 2021, Pennsylvania was in the spotlight because of activist efforts to elect more judges in Philly and even more so in Pittsburgh.
Both efforts had big successes, and many new judges.
Philly: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…
Pittsburgh: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…
Both efforts had big successes, and many new judges.
Philly: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…
Pittsburgh: theappeal.org/politicalrepor…
Working out identifying these and figuring out how to cover them has been very fun in recent years because it’s felt so unique. And not to give too much away, but they’ll certainly be part of what the new cryptic project I hinted at last week is. So stay tuned for more!
https://twitter.com/taniel/status/1455639038468268032
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