When you vote in the general election, you help shape the future of Arizona and its communities. We encourage every voter to take one more important step: Vote the entire ballot, including the judges.
Arizona's courts play a vital role in our democracy. They resolve disputes, protect individual rights, apply the law and ensure that government follows the Constitution. Public trust depends on judges who are fair, impartial, knowledgeable, hardworking and committed to the rule of law.
As retired Arizona judicial officers, we have seen firsthand how much responsibility judges carry and why judicial independence matters. We understand voters may know less about judicial retention elections than other races. Judicial candidates do not run on party
platforms, and headlines or individual rulings do not always tell the whole story about a judge's work. Fortunately, Arizona provides reliable information to help voters make informed choices.
The Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance Review is an important source for that information. The Commission evaluates judges using surveys from people who have worked with or appeared before the judges, along with other information from the public and the judges themselves. Evaluations consider legal ability, integrity, fairness, communication skills, judicial temperament and the ability to manage a court. The Commission then determines whether each judge meets established performance standards.
For the judges on the November 2026 retention ballot, in a single unanimous vote, the Commission on Judicial Performance Review approved the slate of judges as meeting judicial performance standards. That is important information for voters to consider as they decide whether each judge should remain in office.
We encourage Arizonans to learn about the judges before voting. The Commission's website, azjudges.info, provides judicial performance reports and information about the review process. The Arizona Secretary of State's voter publicity pamphlet, mailed to registered voters and available online, also provides information about judges on the ballot. These resources help voters look beyond assumptions and make informed choices.
Judicial retention elections give voters a way to hold judges accountable while protecting judicial independence. Judges must do their jobs well, but they must also be free to decide cases based on the law and facts. They should not fear losing their jobs simply because someone disagrees with a ruling. Arizona's merit-selection and retention system balances these goals by reviewing judicial performance and allowing voters to decide whether judges should remain in office.
No single evaluation can tell voters everything about a judge. Voters should review the available information and make up their own minds. That is why the performance reports and voter pamphlet are so valuable: they provide information voters can use.
Court decisions affect families, businesses, public safety, individual rights and the daily lives of Arizonans. Judges deserve the same thoughtful consideration voters give to other public officials.
Please vote this November. And when you do, please read the judicial performance reports, review the voter pamphlet and consider the judges on your ballot.
Finish the ballot. Informed voters and a fair, independent judiciary are essential to Arizona's future.
Ruth V. McGregor, Scott Bales, Robert M. Brutinel, Diane M. Johnson, Peter M. Swann, David B. Gass and Jennifer B. Campbell are retired Arizona chief justices, chief judges and judges.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Finish the ballot. Don't skip Arizona's judges | Opinion
