Bonneau, Chris W. “Vacancies on the Bench: Open-Seat Elections for State Supreme Courts,” 27 Justice System Journal 143 (2006). (SSRN)

December 20, 2011

This article discusses open seat state supreme court elections and finds that the outcomes of such elections are determined by candidate characteristics, the electoral context, the value of the seat, and institutional arrangements.

Judicial Election

Judges are elected by popular vote.
Democratic Appointment

Judges are appointed directly by a democratic body, or appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of some democratic body.

Hybrid

Judges are appointed by the governor after nomination by a commission and confirmation by a democratic body.
Missouri Plan

Judges are appointed by the governor after nomination by a commission.