S LYNN 24-. WITTV, S JUDGE, 189TH DISTRICT COURT 1101TSTICO1%, irmycAs TTOOSZ April 30, 1982 The Honorable Hilary Doran Office of the Governor Capitol Building Austin, Texas 78711 Dear Mr. Doran: MAY 3 up (7/3)a XI- n Re: Non-Partisan Judicial Elections The State Bar Committee On Selection, Compensation, and Tenure of State Judges has recommended the adoption of the enclosed plan for non-partisan judicial elections. It is similar to House Bill 18 in the 67th Legislature. As you will see, this proposal includes a provision for plurality election in November. Election by plurality has caused some opposition. The best alternative, in my opinion, is to have a mid-November judges-only run-off. The most popular competing proposal is the one introduced by Senator Farabee in the last session. It provided for a non-partisan judicial primary conducted in conjunction with the partisan primaries in those cases where more than two people filed for any judicial office; if only two people filed, both their names will be put on the November ballot. If one person received a majority of all the votes cast in the primary, then only that candidate's name will go on the November ballot. The Farabee bill also provided that in cases of vacancies occuring after the filing deadline but more than 45 days before the general election, all candidates would be put on the November general election ballot, and if no candidate had a majority, the two highest would be put on a mid-November run-off ballot. Although I have my preferences, I am certainly flexible in devising a means for improving the rationality of our judicial elections. Please contact me with any questions or comments you may have. Yours very truly, Lynn . Hughes District Judge Enclosure