Alaska judicial elections, 2014

Alaska judicial elections, 2014
Overview
Total candidates:	14
General election candidates:	14
Competition - general election
Percent retention:	100%

2015 → ← 2013
Judicial Elections
Judicial elections, 2014
Judicial election dates
Candidates by state
Supreme court elections

Alaska judicial elections consist solely of retention elections, where judges do not face competitors, but voters decide whether or not to keep incumbent judges for a new term. Alaska is one of only six states in which all judicial elections are retentions.

Election dates

• August 1: Filing deadline
• November 4: General election

Candidates

All judges were retained in 2014.

Supreme Court

Retention

Judge	Election Vote
StowersCraig Stowers	62.9% A

Superior Court: First District

Retention

Judge	Election Vote
MenendezLouis J. Menendez	74% A

Superior Court: Second District

Retention

Judge	Election Vote
RoetmanPaul A. Roetman	71.5% A

Superior Court: Third District

Retention

Judge	Election Vote
GuidiAndrew Guidi	61.4% A
MillerGregory Allen Miller	62.3% A

District Court: First District

Retention

Judge	Election Vote
MillerKevin Miller (Alaska)	76.6% A

District Court: Third District

Retention

Judge	Election Vote
EstelleWilliam L. Estelle	54.3% A
ChungJo-Ann M. Chung	63.4% A
RhoadesStephanie Rhoades	63.8% A
IllsleySharon A.S. Illsley	62.9% A
WolfeJohn W. Wolfe	63.5% A
MotykaGregory Motyka	62.6% A
ClarkBrian K. Clark	63.7% A

District Court: Fourth District

Retention

Judge	Election Vote
SeekinsBenjamin A. Seekins	65.6% A

Process

Judges in Alaska face retention elections. In these elections, judges do not compete against another candidate, but voters are given a "yes" or "no" choice whether to keep the judge in office for another term. The judge must receive a majority of "yes" votes to remain in office. Judges must face their first retention at the next general election occurring at least three years after their appointment. The exception to this are the district court judges, who face retention two years after their appointment.

At least 60 days prior to the election, the Alaska Judicial Council publishes its evaluations of the judges up for retention.

Filing fees

The filing fees for judges seeking retention to each type of court are:

• Supreme court: $100
• Court of appeals: $100
• Superior court: $30
• District court: $30

Results

Election results are posted on the Alaska Division of Elections website.

Noteworthy events

The following articles were current as of the dates listed.

Alaska Supreme Court secures powers of state Judicial Council August 14, 2014

Click for story→

See also: JP Election Brief: Lawsuits about elections and continuing controversies The Alaska Supreme Court ruled on August 8, 2014, that the Alaska Judicial Council can make judicial retention recommendations and release new information in the three months before the election. Back in June, the council decided to oppose the retention of Third District Judge William L. Estelle. The case originated in 2010, when several Alaskan voters filed a complaint against the judicial council, questioning the constitutionality of its powers. The council had not recommended Richard W. Postma, Jr., who was then a district judge in the Third District, for retention, citing concerns about his conduct and behavior, including allegations of unprofessional communication with colleagues and concerns about mental fitness. The council issued public communications about its position against Postma. Postma was not retained in the election. The first complaint against the council was made a few days before the 2010 general election and argued that it was unconstitutional for the council to make retention recommendations. It also spoke against the council's ability to put out new information in the 60 days before an election. In November, another challenge alleged that the council's advertisements against Postma were a form of "executive patronage" and exceeded constitutional boundaries. A superior court ruled that the council does have the right to make retention recommendations, but it prohibited the council from releasing new information in the three months before an election. The supreme court said that there is nothing in the constitution preventing the council from making public new information before an election. According to the written opinion of the Alaska Supreme Court, “ While reasonable people may disagree whether it is good public policy to authorize a state agency to make recommendations to the public on how the public should vote, we defer to the Legislature to make this policy decision because the Alaska Constitution vests broad power in the Legislature with regard to the council. ” —Justice Craig Stowers According to the judicial council, it did not recommend Judge Estelle because he filed 16 false affidavits that claimed he had finished cases within the appropriate time constraints. Under state law, judges are not to be paid if they have undecided cases pended for over six months. The council approved of the 13 other justices up for retention. The election occurred on November 4, 2014.

See also

• Alaska judicial elections
• Judicial selection in Alaska

External links

• State of Alaska Division of Elections

Footnotes

Alaska courts

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Federal courts:

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Alaska • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Alaska

State courts:

Alaska Supreme Court • Alaska Court of Appeals • Alaska Superior Court • Alaska District Court

State resources:

Courts in Alaska • Alaska judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alaska