Insights from the 2024 Indiana Judicial Elections

Written by Joel Schumm for the Indiana Capital Chronicle on November 25, 2024.

It was a busy election period in Indiana with numerous judicial candidates seeking votes across the state. This was particularly noticeable in Marion County, where voters encountered several pages of judicial contenders on the ballot. While typically unopposed and uneventful, this election year was different. Here are five significant observations from the 2024 judicial elections.

Supreme Retention

In Indiana, Supreme Court Justices undergo retention elections after two years on the bench and every decade thereafter. The Indiana State Bar Association releases lawyer’s survey results, but these elections rarely arouse the public’s interest.

This year, a social media campaign urged voters to vote against three justices who had previously ruled in favor of an abortion restrictive statute. Despite the campaign, the justices were comfortably retained with about 70% of voters’ support, maintaining the precedent of uneventful and uncontested retention elections. Chief Justice Loretta Rush received the highest votes (71%), while Justice Mark Massa gained the least (69%).

Marion County Favors Female Judges

In Marion County, 18 judges consisting of equal women and men were on the retention ballot. Female judges received 72-74% affirmative votes, while male judges, with one exception, secured 67-69% affirmative votes. Judge Jose Salinas stood out among his male counterparts with 72% affirmative votes. On average, female candidates held an approximately 5% lead over their male counterparts.

A Victorious Year for Republican Judges

Most judges run for six-year terms in partisan elections. Being under the “Democratic” label presented challenges for candidates outside a few Indiana counties, and this applied to judicial elections as well. Republican judges unopposed in more than 70 races made significant strides in this election. They managed to topple two incumbent Democratic judges and occupied two seats previously held by Democrats.

Democrats Competing for Judgeships in Hamilton County?

In Hamilton County, all three unopposed judicial elections were won by Republicans. With the county being one of the few where the Trump margin decreased in 2024, the future could see more competition in this region.

Low Turnout and Lack of Diversity in Lawyer Election

The voter turnout of 61% placed Indiana in the bottom quarter of the fifty states. Another important election for judicial appointments saw an even lower turnout. About 4,400 District 1 lawyers received electronic ballots to select an attorney member of the Judicial Nominating Commission. Less than 24% of these lawyers cast their vote, resulting in Steve Williams winning with 340 votes.

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Originally Post From https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2024/11/25/five-takeaways-from-indiana-judicial-elections-in-2024/

Unveiling the Lessons from Indiana’s 2024 Judicial Elections: Five Essential Takeaways