I have written before about the possibility that candidates for New York Supreme Court Justice will be selected in contested Primaries. I think it’s now time to look at what such Primaries might look like in New York City in 2007.
This assumes that the U.S. Supreme Court does not agree to hear the appeal from those who support keeping Judicial Conventions and that no alternative to some sort of Primary system are agreed to by the State Legislature and Governor.
The strong rumor is that the Democrats in the State Assembly are in favor of a system of Judicial Conventions and Primaries like the present way candidates for statewide office are picked. Each Party would have a convention in May or early June. Candidates for Supreme Court who receive 50%+1 of the vote of the delegates would automatically be placed on the ballot as the Party’s endorsed choice. Candidates who received 25% could also run and candidates who did not receive 25% or more could then petition to get on the ballot.
Originally the word was that delegates to these conventions would be elected in September as they now are and would meet the following spring. But now the rumor is that like the State Conventions, elected members of Party State Committees would be the delegates casting weighted votes.
However almost as strong a rumor is that the Republicans in the State Senate do not want to go along with this and are content to sit back and not act at all. If that happens then New York will simply have a Primary system for Supreme Court like we have for other offices – candidates will petition to run. And remember, unlike other offices, candidates for Judge do not have to be a registered member of a Party to run in a Primary.
Unless additional incumbent Supreme Court Justices retire or leave office for another reason, we are looking at possible Democratic Primary elections in 4 of the 5 Boroughs according to the information I’ve received. I now am only going to write about Democratic Primaries because no Democratic Party candidate has lost a General Election in New York City in over 40 years.
1st District (Manhattan) Four justices are to be elected. Three incumbents are expected to seek re-election – Sheila Abdus-Sallam, Fern Fisher & Charles Ramos. There is also one open seat because an incumbent is required to retire.
Judges Abdus-Sallam & Fisher are Black. There is some fear among supporters that Judge Abdus-Sallam might be vulnerable to a primary challenge because of her name. Judge Ramos has obtained some fame because he is hearing the case against former New York Stock Exchange President Richard Grasso. Some of us are wondering if Mr. Grasso and his associates might try to recruit and finance an opponent to Ramos because they are upset with some of his rulings.
2nd District (Brooklyn and Staten Island) Three justices are to be elected – all held by incumbents likely to seek re-election. They are Priscilla Hall, Larry Martin and Albert Tomei. Judges Hall & Martin are Black. Fun fact – Judge Tomei is actress Marissa Tomei’s uncle.
District 11 (Queens) Two justices are to be elected. Both incumbents face mandatory retirement so both are open seats.
District 12 (Bronx) No justices are scheduled to be elected this year.