A thermal printhead formed on a substrate. The plurality of thermal print elements in the thermal printhead are formed in a linear array. Each of the plurality of thermal print elements is respectively connected to a plurality of common electrode traces and a plurality of ground electrode traces. The common electrode traces are switchably connected to a single common electrode and the ground electrode traces are connected to a single ground electrode. The common electrode is held at a common voltage and the ground electrode is held at a ground voltage. The electrical circuit includes at least one common remote sense electrode connected to the single common electrode and, optionally, at least one ground remote sense electrode connected to the single ground electrode.