Item: Spencer pushes changes to judicial ballot/Associated Press

More Info: Northern Idaho Republican activist Larry Spencer failed to convince the 2011 Legislature to change how Idaho's nonpartisan judges candidates are listed on ballots. Now, he's pushing a fledgling citizen initiative to get the issue before voters in 2012 -- on grounds that the existing practice of telling voters which candidate is the incumbent gives the officeholder an advantage - largely because voters who are unfamiliar with the race may default to the person who already holds the post. Last week, the House declined to approve an amendment to an Idaho elections bill to mandate simply listing the candidates' names, not incumbency. After that setback, Spencer has begun trying to collect about 45,000 signatures to put the matter to a vote.

Question: Is Spencer right this time -- that judges have an unfair advantage if their incumbency is listed on the ballot?