Oregon elects its judges, but usually they run unopposed, and anyway, there are no performance metrics to evaluate candidates. I don’t bother to select yea or nay in these one-candidate elections, but it annoys me that I can’t perform my civic duty. What’s up? —David S.

In 1857, the authors of the Oregon Constitution, flush with Jacksonian populism, provided for the popular election of the judiciary. Ever since then, our state has been wrestling with one awkward fact: Direct election of judges is a stupid idea.

Even you, David, acknowledge that as an average citizen you lack the expertise necessary to fairly evaluate judicial candidates. And you’re probably better informed than most! For every civic-minded WW reader trying to do the right thing, there are a dozen flat-earthers whose

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