WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsRamsey relents on contested elections for justices
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Associated Press - May 12, 2009 4:15 AM ET
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says he's backing off of a proposal to have Tennessee Supreme Court justices stand in contested re-election campaigns.
The Blountville Republican tells The Associated Press that the contested elections have been a sticking point in negotiations on changes to the way the state appoints and retains its appeals court judges.
If lawmakers do nothing, the Tennessee Plan for judicial selection will expire at the end of next month.
Ramsey says he expects a compromise to be presented during the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Tuesday morning.
He says the measure would give the House and Senate speakers sole discretion over who serves on a judicial nominating commission and would replace the yes-no wording on retention ballots with "retain" or "replace."
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