The vote's in your court and the vote is coming soon.

• Author: Young, Gwynne A.
• Position: President's Page

Gather together 10 "regular-folk" Floridians, and only one will understand judicial merit retention.

In focus groups across the state, about nine out of 10 people did not understand merit retention, and many associated the phrase with teacher merit pay.

Obviously, there is a need to teach about the importance of a fair and impartial judiciary, where judges are free to make decisions based on the law, unafraid of political pressures. Voters need to be armed with accurate information on how the merit selection and retention system for appellate judges works in our state.

This is especially critical as the countdown to the November 6 election looms nearer, and three Supreme Court justices and 15 appellate judges are up for merit retention.

I want voters to make it all the way to the bottom of the ballot and be informed enough to feel comfortable voting in the merit retention races. Unfortunately, about 30 percent of the time, the unfamiliar names of justices and judges--with no party affiliation--often get short shrift and are ignored altogether on the ballot. Or, they can fall victim to misinformation campaigns and be unfairly labeled "activist judges" based on one unpopular ruling, rather than the totality of their work and their qualifications to hold judicial office.

This past spring, The Florida Bar Board of Governors launched "The Vote's in YOUR COURT" public education program, continuing the Bar's tradition of providing public education since the first merit retention election in 1978.

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As you read this, over 250,000 "Guide for Florida Voters" in English and 25,000 in Spanish, sponsored by the Bar, have been distributed to voters. The guide is packed with questions and answers about Florida judges, judicial elections, and merit retention. The League of Women Voters has distributed a million of its own voter guides. The guide is available in English, Spanish, and Creole on The Florida Bar's website--www. floridabar.org/thevotesinyourcourt-and is full of facts about the history and purpose of merit retention, as well as public radio interviews with Bar leaders, videos, and biographical information about the justices and judges up for merit retention. The Bar is using social media to spread the word about "The Vote's in YOUR COURT." Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for the latest news on the program.

I am pleased to report that presentations are being made, and I anticipate that hundreds will be completed...