Orange County Commissioners voted unanimously at their March 8 meeting on a resolution against changing the way North Carolina judges are chosen. Commissioner Renee Price, who worked on the resolution alongside Commissioner Barry Jacobs, read the resolution aloud during the meeting.

“The Orange County Board of County Commissioners herewith opposes any amendment to the North Carolina Constitution that would abridge or impinge upon the right of the people of North Carolina to elect their judges,” read Price.

The board requested a resolution be prepared opposing a change to the selection of judges in North Carolina at the January 23 regular board meeting. This was a result of word that the North Carolina General Assembly is debating amending the Constitution to allow the appointment of judges rather than electing judges by a vote of the people.

“The Orange County Board of Commissioners believes that members of the judicial branch of government should continue to be elected by the voters, as opposed to being selected by members of the legislative branch or by some other process that may be established by the legislative branch and whereas, the Orange County Board of Commissioners supports maintaining the current Judicial District System, and opposes division into sub-districts,” states the resolution.

The resolution goes on to state that, “forcing judges to run for election on a frequent basis, such as every two years, has the potential of politicizing their decision-making, thus undermining the independence that is at the heart of a free and fair judiciary.”

During the meeting the board also voted to send the resolution to its state legislative delegation as well as to the boards of county commissioners of all other 99 North Carolina counties.

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