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Ballot Explained

Appellate courts · November 3, 2026

Who's on the appellate court ballot in Colorado

7 candidates are on the ballot. One ballot can carry several appellate seats, and the note below sets out which contest is which. For each judge: the record, any official performance evaluation, and the arguments published for and against them.

Candidates
7
Sitting judges
7 of 7
On the ballot
No party label
State primary
Jun 30

Candidates appear in ballot order. We do not rank them, score them, or recommend one — here is how this is put together, and here is what the office actually does.

What is on this ballot

Colorado does not hold contested elections for appellate judges. Judges are nominated by a commission and appointed by the governor, then face voters only in yes-or-no retention questions, which sit near the end of the ballot with no party label — which is why no party is listed below. A judge is retained by a majority of yes votes; a no vote creates a vacancy the governor fills from a nominating commission’s list. Seven appellate retention questions are on the November 3, 2026 ballot and every Colorado voter votes on all of them. In ballot order: Colorado Supreme Court — Justice William W. Hood III, whose term between retention votes is ten years. Colorado Court of Appeals — Rebecca Rankin Freyre, Elizabeth L. Harris, Katharine E. Lum, Pax Moultrie, Karl L. Schock and Grant Sullivan, each for an eight-year term. Colorado runs one of the country’s oldest official judicial performance evaluation systems: each of the 22 judicial districts has a citizen commission that evaluates its trial judges, and a separate statewide commission evaluates Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices. The commissions are nonpartisan and mix lawyers with non-lawyers, and they publish a recommendation and a narrative for each judge in the state’s blue book and online. In 2026 the commissions evaluated 123 judges standing for retention and found three who did not meet performance standards — all of them trial judges, none appellate. The statewide appellate commission found that all seven appellate judges above meet performance standards. Roster taken directly from the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation’s published 2026 list.

7 candidates · ballot order · William W. Hood III currently holds this seat

Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Justice, Colorado Supreme Court, appointed in 2014 by Governor John Hickenlooper.
  • District judge in Denver before his appointment to the Supreme Court; previously a prosecutor and a lawyer in private practice.
  • The Colorado statewide judicial performance commission found that he MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS and recommends retention.
  • Colorado Supreme Court justices serve ten-year terms between retention votes.
  • Of the 123 Colorado judges standing for retention in 2026, the performance commissions found three who did not meet standards; none was an appellate judge.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No organised campaign either for or against Hood’s retention was found. Searched: the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Colorado Politics, The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio, the Colorado Judicial Institute and Bolts.
  • The commission publishes a full narrative evaluation and survey results for each judge; the individual narrative for Hood was not retrieved during research, only the published recommendation.
  • No independent analysis of his published opinions was found.
Sources (4)⌄
  1. 12026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Full List, Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  2. 22026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  3. 33 Colorado judges receive unfavorable retention recommendation — Colorado Politics — coloradopolitics.com
  4. 4Your state-by-state guide to the 2026 supreme court elections — Bolts — boltsmag.org

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals.
  • The Colorado statewide judicial performance commission, which evaluates Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices, found that this judge MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS and recommends retention. The commissions are nonpartisan bodies of lawyers and non-lawyers created under state law.
  • Colorado Court of Appeals judges serve eight-year terms between retention votes.
  • Of the 123 Colorado judges standing for retention in 2026, the performance commissions found three who did not meet standards; none of the three was an appellate judge.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No organised campaign either for or against this judge’s retention was found. Searched: the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Colorado Politics, The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Judicial Institute.
  • The commission publishes a full narrative evaluation and survey results for each judge at judicialperformance.colorado.gov; the individual narrative for this judge was not retrieved during research, only the commission’s published recommendation.
  • No independent analysis of this judge’s published opinions was found.
Sources (3)⌄
  1. 12026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Full List, Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  2. 22026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  3. 33 Colorado judges receive unfavorable retention recommendation — Colorado Politics — coloradopolitics.com

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals.
  • The Colorado statewide judicial performance commission, which evaluates Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices, found that this judge MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS and recommends retention. The commissions are nonpartisan bodies of lawyers and non-lawyers created under state law.
  • Colorado Court of Appeals judges serve eight-year terms between retention votes.
  • Of the 123 Colorado judges standing for retention in 2026, the performance commissions found three who did not meet standards; none of the three was an appellate judge.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No organised campaign either for or against this judge’s retention was found. Searched: the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Colorado Politics, The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Judicial Institute.
  • The commission publishes a full narrative evaluation and survey results for each judge at judicialperformance.colorado.gov; the individual narrative for this judge was not retrieved during research, only the commission’s published recommendation.
  • No independent analysis of this judge’s published opinions was found.
Sources (3)⌄
  1. 12026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Full List, Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  2. 22026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  3. 33 Colorado judges receive unfavorable retention recommendation — Colorado Politics — coloradopolitics.com

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals.
  • The Colorado statewide judicial performance commission, which evaluates Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices, found that this judge MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS and recommends retention. The commissions are nonpartisan bodies of lawyers and non-lawyers created under state law.
  • Colorado Court of Appeals judges serve eight-year terms between retention votes.
  • Of the 123 Colorado judges standing for retention in 2026, the performance commissions found three who did not meet standards; none of the three was an appellate judge.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No organised campaign either for or against this judge’s retention was found. Searched: the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Colorado Politics, The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Judicial Institute.
  • The commission publishes a full narrative evaluation and survey results for each judge at judicialperformance.colorado.gov; the individual narrative for this judge was not retrieved during research, only the commission’s published recommendation.
  • No independent analysis of this judge’s published opinions was found.
Sources (3)⌄
  1. 12026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Full List, Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  2. 22026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  3. 33 Colorado judges receive unfavorable retention recommendation — Colorado Politics — coloradopolitics.com

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals.
  • The Colorado statewide judicial performance commission, which evaluates Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices, found that this judge MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS and recommends retention. The commissions are nonpartisan bodies of lawyers and non-lawyers created under state law.
  • Colorado Court of Appeals judges serve eight-year terms between retention votes.
  • Of the 123 Colorado judges standing for retention in 2026, the performance commissions found three who did not meet standards; none of the three was an appellate judge.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No organised campaign either for or against this judge’s retention was found. Searched: the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Colorado Politics, The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Judicial Institute.
  • The commission publishes a full narrative evaluation and survey results for each judge at judicialperformance.colorado.gov; the individual narrative for this judge was not retrieved during research, only the commission’s published recommendation.
  • No independent analysis of this judge’s published opinions was found.
Sources (3)⌄
  1. 12026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Full List, Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  2. 22026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  3. 33 Colorado judges receive unfavorable retention recommendation — Colorado Politics — coloradopolitics.com

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals.
  • The Colorado statewide judicial performance commission, which evaluates Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices, found that this judge MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS and recommends retention. The commissions are nonpartisan bodies of lawyers and non-lawyers created under state law.
  • Colorado Court of Appeals judges serve eight-year terms between retention votes.
  • Of the 123 Colorado judges standing for retention in 2026, the performance commissions found three who did not meet standards; none of the three was an appellate judge.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No organised campaign either for or against this judge’s retention was found. Searched: the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Colorado Politics, The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Judicial Institute.
  • The commission publishes a full narrative evaluation and survey results for each judge at judicialperformance.colorado.gov; the individual narrative for this judge was not retrieved during research, only the commission’s published recommendation.
  • No independent analysis of this judge’s published opinions was found.
Sources (3)⌄
  1. 12026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Full List, Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  2. 22026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  3. 33 Colorado judges receive unfavorable retention recommendation — Colorado Politics — coloradopolitics.com

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Nothing documented in the sources reviewed.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals.
  • The Colorado statewide judicial performance commission, which evaluates Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court justices, found that this judge MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS and recommends retention. The commissions are nonpartisan bodies of lawyers and non-lawyers created under state law.
  • Colorado Court of Appeals judges serve eight-year terms between retention votes.
  • Of the 123 Colorado judges standing for retention in 2026, the performance commissions found three who did not meet standards; none of the three was an appellate judge.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No organised campaign either for or against this judge’s retention was found. Searched: the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, Colorado Politics, The Denver Post, Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Judicial Institute.
  • The commission publishes a full narrative evaluation and survey results for each judge at judicialperformance.colorado.gov; the individual narrative for this judge was not retrieved during research, only the commission’s published recommendation.
  • No independent analysis of this judge’s published opinions was found.
Sources (3)⌄
  1. 12026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Full List, Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  2. 22026 Judicial Performance Evaluations — Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — judicialperformance.colorado.gov
  3. 33 Colorado judges receive unfavorable retention recommendation — Colorado Politics — coloradopolitics.com

Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.

This is one contest on a longer ballot

A Colorado ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.

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