Learn about Judicial Retention Elections
Your Vote Shapes Utah’s Courts
You don’t need a law degree to evaluate your local judges. Utah provides independent, non-partisan performance evaluations so you can cast your ballot with confidence.
View Judicial Evaluations at judges.utah.govWhat is a Judicial Retention Election?
In Utah, state judges do not run political campaigns against opponents. Instead, after they are appointed, they appear on your ballot periodically for a retention election.
You will simply be asked: “Shall Judge [Name] be retained in office?” You vote Yes or No. If a judge receives more “No” votes than “Yes” votes, they are removed from the bench at the end of their term.
How the State Evaluates Judges
To help you decide how to vote, the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC) is an independent state body that conducts rigorous reviews of every judge on the ballot. They publish free reports online grading judges on four main criteria:
⚖️ Legal Ability
JPEC surveys attorneys who have argued cases in front of the judge to ensure the judge demonstrates a deep understanding of the law, writes clear decisions, and applies legal rules correctly.
🗣️ Procedural Fairness
JPEC uses volunteer courtroom observers and surveys to assess whether a judge treats everyone with dignity and respect, listens to all parties, and ensures participants understand the courtroom proceedings and process.
🧘 Judicial Integrity & Temperament
Measures a judge’s impartiality, professionalism, and whether personal beliefs, outside influences, or personal interests impact their judicial responsibilities.
⏱️ Administrative Skills
A good judge keeps cases moving efficiently. Evaluations check if the judge starts court on time, manages the docket effectively, and issues rulings without unnecessary delays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes up the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (JPEC)?
JPEC is an independent state commission composed of 13 members. By law, the commission includes an equal balance of attorneys and public members to ensure diverse perspectives in the judicial evaluation process. Four commissioners are appointed by the Governor, four by the Utah Legislature, and four by the Utah Supreme Court. The 13th member serves ex officio as the Executive Director of the Utah Department of Criminal Justice.
Are the evaluations influenced by politics?
No. JPEC evaluates judges on objective criteria related to the process of judging, rather than the outcome of cases or the popularity of individual rulings. Individual legal decisions are reviewed through the appellate court process, while JPEC evaluates a judge’s overall performance on the bench.
How do I find out which judges are on my specific ballot?
Because judges are tied to specific districts, your ballot will only show judges relevant to your voting address. You can view a sample ballot through the main election portal, and then look up those specific judges on judges.utah.gov.