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Local judges are key punitive cogs in mass incarceration. But in 2020 they were rumblings of change: activism, reform candidates, & then—big results!
But this remains neglected. We at @TheAppeal were intent on chronicling more of this "flip the bench" movement. A thread on 2020:
But this remains neglected. We at @TheAppeal were intent on chronicling more of this "flip the bench" movement. A thread on 2020:
There was 
in New Orleans: A group of 7 current & former public defenders ran for judge, with the stated goal of using the vast discretion of judicial offices to fight mass incarceration.Two won ( https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/new-orleans-public-defenders-elected-judge/).
Full context: https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/new-orleans-public-defenders-judicial-elections/.
New Orleans's Nov. elections came a few months after something of a "dress rehearsal": New Orleans husing activists used a summer judicial election to put heat on power of local judges to do something about the eviction crisis, & their powers. https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/eviction-crisis-urgency-local-judge-elections/.
Chicago Activists mobilized to oust the head judge of the juvenile justice division, who's fought for judges to be able to jail children under 13. Toomin did survive, barely. Chicago judges almost never lose retention, so uphill battle, but came close. https://theappeal.org/judge-michael-toomin-cook-county-illinois-juvenile-justice/
In Cincinnati, years of grassroots organizing & a summer of protests contributed to upending the carceral status quo in some key local elections — some of which were judicial races won by candidates with public defender & civil rights backgrounds. https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/ohio-racial-justice-organizing/
Las Vegas, finally: Public defenders (all women) soared in Clark County's judges. 7 won — a big deal that again comes after lot of work by activists & could change NV on issues like cash bail.(And it's already making the local DA very worried.) https://theappeal.org/politicalreport/public-defenders-las-vegas-judge-elections/
Finally: I really like this anecdote about what went down in Las Vegas. Because it really captures something about the past few years, & how they've totally upended conventional expectations about who runs for DA/sheriff/judges, and what it takes to win. https://twitter.com/ScottHech/status/1341066871215431680
I'll end with: It's not easy to cover local politics (esp judges) in a way that brings out their substantive stakes, & authors of articles in this thread ( @kjfernelius, @TheWayWithAnoa, @kira_lerner, @SamMellins) did so beautifully. Excited for their pieces to have come together!
