Senators weigh alternates to head-to-head judicial elections

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A national judicial reform group and a North Carolina law school leader on Wednesday backed altering the state's current method of selecting judges, offering options to legislators focusing more on appointments and confirmations and less on current head-to-head elections.

North Carolina voters elect judges like other positions based on an 1868 constitutional mandate. For decades many lawyers and legal advocates have urged a "merit selection" process that could involve the governor, the General Assembly or both with appointing a judge, who is then subject to an up-or-down retention election. Changes ultimately would require a constitutional amendment approved in a referendum.