Colorado Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The term of one Colorado Supreme Court justice will expire on January 11, 2027. The one seat is up for retention election on November 3, 2026. The filing deadline is August 3, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for retention election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Justices may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if justices retire or are appointed.
Candidates and results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
William Hood's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Colorado
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
About the Colorado Supreme Court
- See also: Colorado Supreme Court
The Colorado Supreme Court is composed of seven justices who are appointed by the governor and then must stand for retention by voters thereafter. A full term on the court is 10 years. Retention elections take place during Colorado's general elections, which are held in even-numbered years.
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Maria Berkenkotter | Appointed by Gov. Jared Polis (D) in 2020 | |
| ■ Brian Boatright | Appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) in 2011 | |
| ■ Richard Gabriel | Appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) in 2015 | |
| ■ Melissa Hart | Appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) in 2017 | |
| ■ William W. Hood | Appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) in 2013 | |
| ■ Monica Márquez | Appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter (D) in 2010 | |
| ■ Carlos Armando Samour Jr. | Appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) in 2018 |
Selection
The seven justices on the Colorado Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. Each justice is appointed by the governor from a list of names compiled by the Colorado Supreme Court Nominating Commission.[1][2]
Initial terms last at least two years, after which justices must stand for retention in a yes-no election. Subsequent terms last 10 years.[2]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a justice must be:[3]
- a qualified elector in the state;
- licensed to practice law in the state for five years; and
- under the age of 72 (retirement by 72 is mandatory).
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is selected by peer vote. Beginning in January 2021, the chief justice began serving for a set term on a rotating basis. Previously, the chief justice served indefinitely as long as he or she had the support of his or her peers.[4]
Vacancies
If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a justice's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends to the governor three qualified candidates for an appellate court vacancy (two or three for a trial court vacancy), and the governor selects a successor from that list. After occupying the seat for two years, the newly appointed justice stands for retention in the next general election. The justice then serves a full 10-year term if he or she is retained by voters.[2]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Colorado Judicial Branch, "Colorado Supreme Court," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Colorado Judicial Branch, "Judicial Nominating Commissions," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ Colorado Judicial Branch, "What it takes to become a Judge," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Colorado Supreme Court to impose term lengths for chief justice as current one retires," August 19, 2020
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Colorado • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Colorado
State courts:
Colorado Supreme Court • Colorado Court of Appeals • Colorado District Courts • Colorado County Courts • Denver Probate Court • Denver Juvenile Court • Colorado Municipal Courts • Colorado Water Courts
State resources:
Courts in Colorado • Colorado judicial elections • Judicial selection in Colorado
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