Two Arizona Supreme Court justices survived efforts to oust them over their votes on a controversial abortion measure.
Tallies Wednesday showed Clint Bolick picking up support of more than 58% of those who voted on the question of whether he should be retained for a six-year term on the stateβs high court. Kathryn King polled slightly better at more than 59%.
But Arizonans apparently are unwilling to give up on their right to have their say in future judicial elections. Fewer than one out of every four voters supported Proposition 137, which would have given most judges the ability, once chosen, to serve without having to regularly face voters.
Under a 1974 state constitutional amendment, judges on the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and the benches in the largest counties, currently Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Coconino, are filled by the governor.
The governor must select from nominees screened by special panels. Those selected have to stand for reelection every four years β of every six years for appellate-level judges β on a retain-or-reject basis.
Campaigns against sitting judges has been rare. But that changed when Bolick and King provided two of the four votes by the Supreme Court earlier this year, ruling that the 2022 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade meant Arizona could once again enforce an old β but never repealed β 1864 law making it a crime to perform an abortion except to save the life of the mother.
That 4-2 ruling never really took effect as state lawmakers subsequently voted to repeal the old law, leaving in its place a 15-week ban. And voters separately decided Tuesday to enshrine a right to abortion in the Arizona Constitution.
Arizona Supreme Court Justices Clint Bolick and Kathryn H. King.
