The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Your View

November 3, 2012

Your View: Exercise your right to vote on judges

Carol Stevenson, North Mankato

This year’s ballot contains many offices to vote for, including three openings on the Minnesota Supreme Court. When you vote for judges, do you just check the box with a name that you vaguely remember hearing? Do you vote for the name with the letter “i”, meaning incumbent, next to it? Do you skip voting for judges?

It has only been since the 2004 elections in Minnesota that judicial candidates have been free to tell voters what they believe the law says. Since 2004, Minnesotans have had the right to become informed about judicial candidates.

I’m informed and I am voting for Tim Tingelstad for associate justice to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Tingelstad believes that we retain control of our government through our right to vote for those who serve us.

Seats on the Supreme Court belong to “we the people.” The seats do not belong to an individual or special interest groups.

There is a proposed plan to replace meaningful judicial elections with “merit selection with retention elections” — MRSE, pronounced misery.

Under MRSE, an unelected committee of 24 people will select all judges. The MRSE committee would provide the governor with a list of three names for each vacancy and the governor would be required to choose a judge from that list.

I want a Supreme Court justice who is willing to face the voters every six years.

Tingelstad is willing to submit his will to the will of the people.

Where does the judge you support stand?

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