Purpose
The purpose of the District Judicial Nominating Commission is to nominate persons for appointment to the office of District Judge and make appointments to the office of District Magistrate Judge in the Twenty-First Judicial District, which includes Clay and Riley Counties.
Selection Method
The Twenty-First Judicial District has adopted the non-partisan method for selection of judges. The District Judicial Nominating Commission consists of an equal number of lawyers and non-lawyers. The lawyer members are elected by the lawyers who are qualified electors in the judicial district and who are registered with the Clerk of the Supreme Court. In the Twenty-First Judicial District, there are four lawyer members. The non-lawyer members are appointed by the county commissioners in each county within the District. In the case of the Twenty-First Judicial District, the Riley County Commission appoints two members and the Clay County Commission appoints two members. The term of office is generally for four years.
Interviews of the potential nominees by the commission ordinarily are open to the public. Discussions of qualifications of potential nominees may be held in executive session at the discretion of the commission.
Determination of the nominees shall be by written ballot. Unless a person receives a majority vote of the members of the commission, the name of such person shall not be included as a nominee. Not less than two nor more that three persons for each district judgeship which is vacant are to be presented to the governor. The governor then makes the selection. The commission itself selects district magistrate judges.