When has it ever benefited the people when they lost their right to vote? Our MN Constitution states Judges, “SHALL be ELECTED by the VOTERS…” Art. VI, Sec 7. FICTION: A recent editorial claimed Judges are supposed to be appointed. FACT: The governor has the power to appoint for several offices if an office holder does not complete their term. It is an exception power and was appropriately used when Sen. Wellstone tragically passed away. It was never intended to replace elections. Many incumbent Judges purposely do not complete their last term in office, triggering the appointment power so the governor can appoint their successor. This prevents the voters from having any say in who their judges are. FICTION: A person cannot find information about judicial candidates. FACT: We are finally hearing about judicial candidates because the US Supreme Court ordered the MN Judicial branch to change the rules that kept voters ignorant in judicial races. I am endorsed by multiple parties. The point is this is not a partisan issue. It is an American issue. Recently Alicia from Cottage Grove, MN wrote on my facebook page, “Just found you while researching on my sample ballot. I am very pleased and impressed with your views, the fact that you actually have a website and information about you, and the fact that you seem to be standing for AMERICANS!! We have been trampled on and beat down for years and we are FED UP! You have my vote and everyone else's vote in my family!” FICTION: There is no threat to take away our right to elect judges. FACT: After the MN Judicial branch was ordered to change their rules many incumbent judges lobbied for legislation to amend our Constitution to take away our right to elect judges. That legislation almost passed this year. POINT: Judges should be learned in the law. FACT: In order to be learned in the law, Judges must also be learned in the Constitution, especially in respect to their own offices. If we cannot trust our judges to follow the Constitution in respect to their own selection, how can we trust them to follow the Constitution in respect to anything else? Where in the Constitution is the authority to bail out private banks or GM and stick the people with that bill? QUESTION: Why should I vote for the challengers over the incumbents? ANSWER: The challengers are fighting so you can vote intelligently on this important branch. The incumbents are not. Judges wield tremendous power and are only under the people when they are subject to meaningful elections. That is why we call our elected officials public servants. When judges successfully circumvent elections they have placed themselves over the people as Nobles. We the People do not bestow titles. We hire public servants and with our vote we keep the right to fire them too. Dan Griffith-Challenger MN Statewide Race for the MN Court of Appeals | 
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