Poll: Voters want to pick state justices

LANSING, Mich., July 16 (UPI) -- The majority of U.S. voters say state supreme court justices should be elected rather than be appointed to the bench, a poll indicates.

The survey for the Lansing, Mich.-based American Justice Partnership Foundation found that 75 percent of voters say they think state supreme court justices should be elected, while 21 percent think they should be appointed by governor's or commissions, Legal Newsline reported Wednesday.

"While the American Justice Partnership Foundation takes no official position on this question, we believe the decision to abolish the peoples' right to select state supreme court justices -- a right enshrined in many state constitutions -- should not be taken lightly," AJPF President Dan Pero said in a statement.

Just 21 states currently hold elections for state supreme court justices, while 24 states use a nominating commission/appointment process; the rest rely on gubernatorial or legislative appointment, Legal Newsline said.

The survey of 808 U.S. registered voters was conducted between May 27 and June 1, and has a margin of error is plus or minus 3.45 percentage points.