Florida Family Policy Council Announces the Florida Judicial Accountability Project

Family advocacy group will publish and mass distribute the first Florida judicial voter guide, which will report information on every judicial candidate on the 2006 ballot.

Contact: Paula McNabb, 407-251-5130, Info@FLfamily.org 

TALLAHASSEE, Fl., July 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Monday, July 24, 2006, the Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC) announced the launch of the “Florida Judicial Accountability Project.” The primary goal of the project is to publish and distribute the 2006 Judicial Voter Guide, which will report information taken from questionnaire responses of every judge candidate on the ballot in Florida. The Judicial Voter Guide is strictly an educational service and will not rate or score judicial candidates in any way. The scope and nature of this project is unprecedented in Florida’s history. The FFPC anticipates at least one million copies of the 2006 Judicial Voter Guides will be produced and distributed this year in print, online and by electronic mail.

The 2006 Judicial Voter Guide will include all judicial elections and merit retention races at the county, circuit, district court of appeals and state Supreme Court levels. The voter guide will report on two major areas. First it will report on personal and family information, judicial philosophy, civic memberships, and charitable contributions. Second it will include the personal views of candidates on specific issues such as school vouchers, parental rights, abortion rights, assisted suicide, same sex marriage and criminal law.

On Thursday, July 20, 2006 over 350 current judicial candidates from across the state were mailed the 2006 FFPC Judicial Candidate Questionnaire. Their deadline for responding to the questionnaire is Monday August 14, 2006 and 2 versions of the guide will be published for both the September 5, 2006 Primary Election and the November 7, 2006 General Election. Judge candidates who fail to respond to the survey will have “failure to report” plainly published in the guide for voters to consider.

FFPC President & General Counsel John Stemberger is spearheading the Florida Judicial Accountability Project. Stemberger commented, “Before every election I get hundreds of requests for information on the various judge candidates on the ballot. Until now, we have had no information or resources to offer these voters. This tool will be one which will serve Florida voters for years to come, providing a source of public information on the judicial branch of government.” Stemberger, an Orlando attorney, was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush in 2000 and in 2004 to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission where his service continues. The Florida Family Policy Council is associated with Dr. James Dobson and Focus on the Family.