The 2008 retention ballot marks the first election where any Indiana Supreme Court Justice has attracted more than one million “yes” votes.  Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard, Justice Theodore R. Boehm and Justice Brent E. Dickson were each retained by Indiana voters with a solid “yes” across the state. 

• 1,348,172 voters cast their ballot in favor of keeping Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard on the state’s highest court.
• 1,290,882 voters cast their ballot in favor of keeping Justice Theodore R. Boehm on the state’s highest court.
• 1,298,751 voters cast their ballot in favor of keeping Justice Brent E. Dickson on the state’s highest court.

This year, approximately 72% of the voters statewide asked that the three justices be returned to the bench (according to the numbers most recently available from the Indiana Secretary of State.)  Historically, the justices have maintained a high approval rating by voters.  In 1998, the last time Chief Shepard, Justice Boehm, and Justice Dickson were on the retention ballot, more than 70% of the voters cast a “yes” ballot.

Indiana voters had access to a new website this year, designed specifically for voters interested in learning about the judges on the ballot.  The site was launched in October.  It gave voters access to biographical information about the judges and details about the decisions they have made while on the bench.  Court of Appeals Judges Terry Crone and Cale Bradford (who were not on the November ballot) coordinated the website creation.  The Indiana Division of State Court Administration provided technical support.  More than 6,000 people visited the website.  It can still be viewed at courts.in.gov/retention.

Appellate judges were first placed on the statewide ballot in 1972.  At that time, Indiana moved to a merit selection system for appellate judges.  The Judicial Nominating Commission interviews judicial applicants and provides the Governor with a list of candidates.  The Governor makes the final selection.  Once appointed, after serving two years, a judge must stand for retention in the first statewide general election.