Article III Justices — that is, most justices at the federal level, are appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and then serve for as long as they please with very few exceptions. This is done, in part, to ensure that they are independent of the political process. At the state level, however, things often work differently. Judicial elections can be held to ensure accountability to the people. What does that mean for these different judiciaries?

Amy Steigerwalt of Georgia State University shows us the way.