In New York City, there are four competitive judge races in November, with most races having predetermined outcomes due to party dominance. Queens voters have a real choice in the Surrogate’s Court race between Cassandra A. Johnson (D) and Stephen Weiner (R). Judicial nominees are typically hand-picked by party insiders, leading to limited competition and predetermined results. Judicial races in NYC are rarely competitive due to the influence of political machines. NYC has five main court systems, and some positions are elected while others are appointed by the mayor.
In the upcoming November elections in New York City, there are only four competitive judge races where voters have a real choice between candidates. For the majority of the judicial races, the winners are essentially predetermined due to the overwhelming voter registration advantage Democrats have in the city. Out of the 18 judicial races on the ballot, 14 of them have no competition at all.
If you are a voter in Queens, you have the opportunity to choose between candidates Cassandra A. Johnson (D) and Stephen Weiner (R, CON, and Common Sense) for Surrogate’s Court. The Surrogate handles matters related to wills, estates, and guardianship. While the position in Queens has historically been held by Democrats, Weiner, the Republican challenger, aims to bring reforms to make court processes more efficient and approachable without seeking a partisan shift.
In addition to the Surrogate’s Court race, there are two other judge races in Queens this year with little campaigning from the candidates. Democrats hold a significant advantage in these races due to the high number of registered Democrats in Queens compared to Republicans and independents. The other contested races in Queens are for Judge of the Civil Court and Judge of the Supreme Court, 11th Judicial District.
In New York, judicial races are often predetermined as nominees for the Supreme Court are hand-picked by party insiders and chosen at judicial conventions. Despite being an election, the selection process is not very democratic, as party leaders decide on preferred candidates before the delegates vote. Competitive races are rare in the city as few candidates are willing to challenge party-backed candidates, resulting in little competition in primaries.
New York City has five main court systems: Supreme Court, Civil Court, Surrogate’s Court, Family Court, and Criminal Court. While judicial candidates for Supreme Court, Civil Court, and Surrogate’s Court are on the ballot, Family Court and Criminal Court positions are appointed by the mayor based on recommendations from a judiciary committee.
Overall, the judicial selection process in New York City is influenced by political machines and party insiders, making competitive races a rarity. Voters in some areas, such as Queens, have the opportunity to make a choice in a few judge races, but for the most part, the winners are already determined due to the city’s political landscape.
Source: TheCity.NYC
