DENVER—Conservative activist and former state Senate President John Andrews said Friday he’s abandoning an effort to create a ballot proposal this year for term limits for state judges, citing a lack of political energy behind the issue.
In 2006, Andrews and other conservatives were able to tap into anger over the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a proposal to ask voters to deny most state services to illegal immigrants and get the issue on the ballot. Donations poured in, allowing Andrews to hire professional signature gatherers, but the measure lost with 43 percent of the vote.
“We just couldn’t recapture that lightning in 2008,” Andrews said of his term limits proposal. He said a volunteer effort to collect 76,047 valid signatures by a May 14 deadline would fall short.
“It’s the political opportunity ebb and flow,” Andrews said. “We continue to be very concerned that the judiciary is out of control. If we can mount another effort in 2010 we’ll certainly look at doing that.”
Andrews, a Republican, wanted to limit judges to a total of 12 years in office. Currently, there are no limits on how long they can serve. Andrews’ proposal would have applied to county, district, state court of appeals and state Supreme Court judges.
Colorado judges are appointed by the governor for an initial term of two years, and then must stand for an up-or-down retention vote if they want to serve longer. The length of subsequent terms varies from 10 years for the Supreme Court to four years for county courts.
Before each retention election, the state Judicial Performance Commission reviews judges and makes recommendations on whether they should be retained. Commission members are appointed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the governor and legislative leaders.
Opponents hailed the announcement as proof of the public’s support of the judicial system.
“Senator Andrews’ decision not to proceed with it is really an acknowledgment that the people of Colorado believe the judicial system is fundamentally sound,” said former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love-Kourlis, who heads the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, a nonpartisan legal reform organization.
Kourlis said that while some adjustments to the state’s judicial performance evaluation system are needed, the judicial selection system is the “gold standard” across the country.
She said judges are chosen on the basis of qualification and not political affiliation.
“When they’re elected, they don’t have to raise money, support issues or do the campaigning that goes on around the country that does undermine public trust,” Kourlis said.
After the Colorado Supreme Court struck down the illegal immigrant proposal, lawmakers in special session in July 2006 passed a bill that banned non-emergency state services to illegal immigrants.
