| Show I n s 7 Van an Cott left Utah State Bar nonpartisan selection of judges and anil at a meeting of the District t o of Utah of which Third District n. n Judge Clarence E E Bak Baker r center is moderator modera modera- tor and Second District Judge Glenn W. W V. V Adams Adams Adams Ad- Ad ams is president year Off-year elections on headless headless headless head head- less ballots were suggested I Judges Study Off Year Election Plan Proponents Believe Idea Would Eliminate Politics Selection of f district and supreme court judges on a nonpartisan ballot ballot bal bal- lot by elections h held ld In tion years ears was suggested at the semiannual meeting of the District Dis IDis Judges' Judges Asso of Utah Friday Fri Fit day at the city and county building build build- ing as judges pondered on methods methods meth meth- of nonpartisan selection of judges as approved by the recently recent recent- ly adopted constitutional amend amend- mont ment The plan was outlined by W W. Q Van Cott CoLt chairman Utah State Bar committee on selection of judiciary Association President Glenn W. W Adams Second district judge presided and Third District Judge Clarence E. E Baker acted as moderator Association members members mem mem- bers recommended that a committee commit commit- tee be appointed at the conclusion conclusion conclusion sion of the Ule discussion to study the various methods of judiciary selection in current use throughout through through- out the country Sever Politics Mr Van Cott elaborating on the thc proposal of the nonpartisan ballot ballot bal bal- lot explained that in this way the political affiliations of a candidate candidate candi candi- date should play no part i in his selection He further suggested that a nominating committee consisting consisting consisting con con- of nine mem members name i two candidates for each vacancy I The committee he proposed could include four members appointed by the governor four appointed by bythe bythe bythe the Utah State Bar and one by the state chief justice A weak point of this system Mr Van Cott conceded would be bethe bethe the addi additional expense of runni running g gan an year off election with the l likelihood like ke that only a small percentage percent percent- age of voters would turn out This method also would make necessary necessary sary campaigning by each judge candidate candida te he added Idaho System The proposed system was compared compared com corn pared most closely with the ballot used by Idaho He also mentioned appointment by the governor In Missouri appointment by the governor governor gov gov- with life lite te tenure ure Massa cn and by a nominating g committee com corn in California At the opening of the meeting Judge Baker criticised Utah's present system saying there is too oo little incentive for a man of ability ability abil- abil ity to seek a career as a judge as salaries are inadequate and there Is s no promise of honorable retirement At present he declared de de- de- de dared it Is a matter of politics rather than ability Mr Van Colt Cott told the meeting that at a recent meeting of ot his committee it was decided to make the following recommend recommendations to the state legislature That salaries of district judges be increased from to per year and those of supreme court judges from to per year that the term of ot office for tor district Judges be Increased that a nonpartisan nonpartisan non non- partisan headless ballot type of selection of the judiciary be employed employed em employed em- em as a n compromise between direct appointment and political election |
