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EDITORIAL: A Slate Is Not A Shortcut For Choosing Judges - Eye On Annapolis.Judicial elections are some of the most important choices voters make, and they are often the races where voters have the least information.That is a problem.Circuit court judges make decisions that can alter the course of people’s lives.They handle criminal cases, civil disputes, family matters, custody issues, protective orders, juvenile cases and other matters that can affect residents for years.In Maryland, circuit court judges serve 15-year terms if elected, making these races far more consequential than many voters may realize.Yet by the time voters reach the judicial section of the ballot, many are left with little more than names, signs, mailers and, too often, slates.A slate is simple political marketing.A group of candidates joins together and asks voters to select them as a package.It may be convenient.It may be efficient for fundraising.It may help lesser-known candidates gain visibility.But convenience is not the same as judgment, and a slate is not a substitute for doing the homework.That is especially true in judicial races.Judicial Candidates Should Be Judged Individually In most races, voters can usually learn where candidates stand.There are party labels, platforms, debates, forums, voting records, public statements and issue positions.Judicial races are different.Judges are not supposed to run on promises about how they will rule.They are not supposed to campaign like legislators or executives.That makes it harder for voters to assess them, but it also makes independent evaluation more important.Maryland’s basic qualifications for circuit court judges are relatively limited: a candidate must be a U.S.and Maryland citizen, registered to vote in Maryland, a state resident for at least 5 years, a resident of the judicial circuit for at least 6 months, admitted to practice law in Maryland and at least 30 years old.The Maryland Constitution also requires judges to be “most distinguished for integrity, wisdom, and sound legal knowledge.” That last part matters.Integrity, wisdom and judgment are not things voters can assume simply because names appear together on a sign.When candidates run as a slate, voters know one thing for certain: the candidates have chosen to campaign together.What voters often do not know is why.Maybe the bond is professional.Maybe it is political.Maybe it is personal.Maybe it is strategic.Maybe it is simply financial.But whatever the reason, a slate tells voters that these candidates want to be seen as a unit.The bench should not be treated as a unit.Diversity On The Bench Means More Than Demographics There is a lot of discussion, rightly, about diversity in public life.A strong judiciary should reflect the community it serves.That includes race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation and life experience.But diversity on the bench should also mean diversity of thought, temperament, professional background, legal experience and perspective.Residents appearing in court should have confidence that cases are being heard by independent judges, not a bloc.That does not mean candidates running together are incapable of independence.It does mean voters should be cautious about any campaign strategy that asks them to make one collective decision in a race where individual judgment is the entire point.Judges are not council members.They are not legislators.They are not a governing coalition.They should not be elected as though they are a ticket.Voters Do Not Have To Use Every Vote In multi-seat judicial races, voters are often told to “vote for” a certain number of candidates.That does not mean voters are required to select that many.A voter who is confident in one candidate can vote for that candidate.A voter who is confident in two can vote for two.The ballot allows choices; it does not require filling every available line.That distinction is important.A slate depends on voters accepting the package.Independent voting depends on voters deciding candidate by candidate.There is nothing wrong with candidates pooling resources.There is nothing wrong with candidates supporting each other.There is nothing wrong with voters agreeing with every name on a slate after reviewing each candidate carefully.But the review should come first.The sign should not decide the vote.The mailer should not decide the vote.The loudest campaign should not decide the vote.And no voter should feel obligated to select every name simply because the candidates have been bundled together.Do The Work Before Casting A Judicial Vote This year’s Maryland primary election is June 23.Early voting runs from June 11 through June 18, and mail-in ballots must be postmarked by June 23 or placed in an official drop box by 8 p.m.that day.Before voting, residents should take the time to look beyond the slate.Read candidate biographies.Look at legal experience.Consider temperament.Watch forums if available.Review endorsements, but do not let endorsements replace judgment.Ask whether the candidate has the experience, independence, and character expected of someone who may sit in judgment of neighbors, families, businesses, and defendants for the next 15 years.It could be you!Judicial elections deserve more than reflex voting.They deserve more than name recognition.They deserve more than political packaging.A slate may make voting easier.But easy is not always better.In a judicial race, the better question is not whether the names fit together on a sign.The better question is whether each candidate, standing alone, has earned the vote.