HB1225: Non-partisan elections for prosecutors
Rep. Lamoureux (R-Russellville) has me in a box on this one. This bill mandates that elections for prosecuting attorneys be held in a non-partisan manner. Amendment 80 brought this change to judicial elections back in 2000. This proposal removes the appearance of partiality and partisanship in the judicial system, even though prosecutors are free to currently run as an Independent.
I understand the prosecutors are actually split on the bill. While it will save them a significant amount of money, this filing fee also acts as a sort of incumbency safeguard. The problem lies with my position as majority leader. The bill's unintended (*cough*) consequence is to take a couple of hundred grand away from the Democratic Party of Arkansas. The current filing fee paid to the party for this position (at least for Democrats) is $7,500. There are 28 judicial districts in Arkansas, each with its own elected prosecutor. Three of these are Republicans, and besides a couple of prosecutors in southeast Arkansas that recently ran as an Independent, all others ran as Democrats.
It failed in committee this morning, but I expect to see it back.
I understand the prosecutors are actually split on the bill. While it will save them a significant amount of money, this filing fee also acts as a sort of incumbency safeguard. The problem lies with my position as majority leader. The bill's unintended (*cough*) consequence is to take a couple of hundred grand away from the Democratic Party of Arkansas. The current filing fee paid to the party for this position (at least for Democrats) is $7,500. There are 28 judicial districts in Arkansas, each with its own elected prosecutor. Three of these are Republicans, and besides a couple of prosecutors in southeast Arkansas that recently ran as an Independent, all others ran as Democrats.
It failed in committee this morning, but I expect to see it back.
posted by Steve Harrelson @ 1/31/2007 02:08:00 PM | Permalink |
2 Comments:
I'm not a constituent but I love and appreciate your blog! You are setting a great example for communication with lots of constituents!
Anybody who thinks that 'nonpartisan' elections has done anything to improve the judiciary is not a political activities and certainly not a political donor. All it does is allow the judicial candidates to be non-accountable and to raise money from folks in any and all political parties.
The barriers that prosecutors face has little to do with partisanship. I hope that the politics of this bill allow you to vote against it, but I will understand if not. If most of the prosecutors hang tough, this bill will not pass. I wish I could join hands with them at the legislature!
O come on Steve! Your were not elected to preserve your party. You were elected to serve the people of your district and this state. Think about what is best for the state not your party. Don't vote against the bill because it will cost your party some $. That is partisan politics at its worst.
Your party is in great shape.
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