You Decide: Voices of Texas: Elected or Appointed Judges?” and write an essay answering the following questions:

• How well does the racial and gender composition of the judiciary reflect the demographics of the state’s population?
• Should judges be elected or appointed?  What are the arguments for electing judges?  What are the arguments for appointing judges?
• Should the selection system vary according to the type of judge? Why or why not?
• How should judges be selected in Texas? Is there a way to make the process less political?
• In the case of elected judges, should judges recuse themselves or abstain from cases that affect their largest campaign contributors?
• How informed do you think the public is about judicial elections and judicial candidates?
• If you were voting for a judge, would you take the time to learn about the candidates and their qualifications or would you vote based on party affiliation?