Changes to Pinal County selection coming in 2013
November 17, 2011
Arizona: Only two of Arizona's fifteen counties select Superior Court judges with the process of Commission-selection and political appointment. Following results of the 2010 Census, Pinal County will become the third county to adopt the method.[1]
In Arizona, there are two different systems of judicial selection for the Superior Courts: judges in counties with populations exceeding 250,000 participate in the aforementioned system; while judges in other counties are selected in nonpartisan elections. All Superior Court judges serve four-year terms, regardless of the method of selection.
Because Pinal County's population as of 2010 was 375,770, it must now adhere to the method commonly referred to as merit selection. This provision is found in Article VI, Section 12 of the Arizona Constitution.
Last week, the County Board of Supervisors discussed a resolution approving the change in method. The board voted 3-0 to adopt the new system of selection.
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