October 16, 2007

Vote Know! Campaign

Where's The Governor?

To the Media and Pennsylvania Voter:

Enclosed please find the Governor Rendell's response to the reform coalition's survey (originally published on August 2, 2006). The survey captures Mr. Rendell's perspectives on: Open Records (p. 2); Article 3 (p.7); "unvouchered expenses" (p.7); and judicial appointments (pp. 7-8).

In the event judges are not retained, Governor Rendell will have the ability to make judicial appointments subject to Senate ratification.

Prior to the Nigro-Newman retention of November 2005, judicial "elections" were partisan affairs dominated by faceless portraits of abstract candidates.  However, the Constitution is a living document, and not the exclusive province of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

It is important that Pennsylvania voters know the Governor's views on the Judiciary, and have access to information from multiple sources.

RocktheCapital.org asks Pennsylvania voters to cast a Know Vote! on November 6, 2007 after consulting the following web sites:

* Campaign donations: Pa Department of State
Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, Division of Campaign Finance and Lobbying Disclosure

* Judicial Surveys: DemocracyRisingPa.com
What are the issues? And where do the candidates stand?

* Pennsylvania Bar Association: PaVoteSmart.com
The PBA issued ratings of appellate judges seeking retention.

* Pa Clean Sweep: PACleanSweep.com
A non-partisan effort to reform state government in Pennsylvania.

* Pennsylvania League of Women Voters: PaLWV.org
The League issues a non-partisan Voter's Guide.