Why is the merit selection system only used to select judges for Maricopa and Pima counties?
The Arizona constitution provides that merit selection will be used to select judges in counties with a population greater than 250,000 people. At this time only Maricopa and Pima counties exceed that population threshold. Other counties may choose to adopt merit selection by popular vote. When a countys population exceeds 250,000 as documented by the U.S. Census, that county automatically enters the merit selection system. Currently, Superior Court judges are elected in nonpartisan elections in all counties except Maricopa and Pima.
