Thanks to Michael Geraghty for his excellent letter on April 28 explaining Alaska’s system for selecting judges based on their qualifications, and how voters ultimately decide whether the judges’ job performance merits keeping them in office.
The nonpartisan Alaska Judicial Council is currently evaluating the performance of 19 judges who will be on the ballot at the next general election in November, as required by law. The council collects and provides comprehensive information to voters about the judges. The council members consider the judges’ professional competence, integrity, temperament, fairness, diligence and overall performance.
The public can help review the judges’ performance by testifying at a public hearing on May 8 at 4:30 p.m. Go to the Alaska Judicial Council web site, www.ajc.state.ak.us, for the names of the 19 judges under review and how to join the hearing. The public is also welcome to submit written comments through the website.
The Judicial Council will publish the results of its performance review before the election on its web site and in the official election pamphlet.
— Susanne DiPietro
Executive director, Alaska Judicial Council
Anchorage
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