Gibson, James L. “‘New-Style’ Judicial Campaigns and the Legitimacy of State High Courts,” 71 Journal of Politics 4, 1285 (2009).

December 20, 2011

This article relies upon an experiment embedded within a representative national survey to conclude that the legitimacy of elected state courts is threatened not by the exercise of the free speech rights extended to candidates  for judicial office in Republican Party of Minnesota v. White, but by campaign contributions.

  • 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.