Judges in some states are elected through partisan elections, where voters can simply check one box to vote for all candidates from a single party. This practice, known as straight-ticket voting, undermines the accountability of the judicial selection process by giving too much power to party leaders. It makes it easy for uninformed voters to make decisions based solely on party affiliation, rather than the qualifications of the candidates. This system disadvantages both minority and majority party candidates who may not have the support of party leaders.