ELECTED VS. APPOINTED JUDGES: “Do we like the way it’s easier to believe that a governor (or President) has picked judges because of their neutral qualifications or is it better to have elections that make people see the ideology of judges? It’s hard to picture elections ever moving us closer to choosing judges because of their lofty credentials and adherence to neutral principles, but it’s not fair to blame the voters if they are savvy enough to see that candidates are ideological and to vote with their eyes open.”

I’d just add that the balance may be different at different levels. Appellate courts — especially courts of last resort — inevitably make more policy. It probably makes more sense to have their members elected than trial judges, who are supposed to simply follow law.