When Nevadans vote, we usually hear the most about candidates for Congress, governor, the Legislature, city council, school board, or ballot questions. But another important part of the ballot is easy to overlook: judges.
Judges make decisions that affect people’s lives in profound ways. Courts touch families, housing, public safety, civil rights, business disputes, elections, immigration questions, child welfare, criminal cases, and the basic fairness of public systems. For many people, a courtroom is where government becomes very real and very personal.
That is why Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada (LEAN) encourages voters to vote all the way down the ballot.
How Nevada judicial elections work
Nevada uses nonpartisan elections for its judges. Voters elect Nevada Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges, and district court judges. Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges are elected statewide; district court judges are elected by voters in their judicial district. These judges generally serve six-year terms.
Nevada does not use the merit-selection and retention-election system described in some states. A retention election is a yes-or-no vote on whether an appointed judge should stay in office. Nevada voters generally choose among judicial candidates in nonpartisan elections instead.
There is an appointment process when a midterm vacancy occurs on the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, or a district court. The Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection reviews applicants and sends nominees to the governor, who appoints a judge to serve until the next general election. Voters then choose who will serve the remainder of the term. Justice court and municipal court judges are also selected locally, with election rules and terms governed by state law and, in some cases, local rules.
Judicial candidates do not run under party labels, but their races still deserve careful research. Nevada does not provide a statewide judicial retention report for voters. Look for candidate questionnaires, court and professional biographies, and nonpartisan voter guides that explain candidates’ experience and approach to the role. The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline handles complaints about judicial conduct; it is not a voter performance-review commission.
A Lutheran approach to public life begins with the conviction that government, at its best, can help preserve order, protect people, restrain harm, and promote a more just and peaceful society. Courts are a key part of that public trust. Judges are called to be fair, impartial, careful, honest, and attentive to the dignity of every person who comes before them.
Voting on judges is one way we take responsibility for the common good. It is a nonpartisan responsibility, too. Judicial elections are not supposed to be partisan scorecards. They are an opportunity to consider whether candidates have the ability, integrity, temperament, and fairness the role requires.
For people of faith, this is not a small concern. Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to seek justice, protect the vulnerable, and care about whether public systems treat people fairly. When courts function well, they help uphold accountability and due process. When people cannot understand or access the legal system, the consequences can fall especially hard on low-income neighbors, immigrants, children, people with disabilities, survivors of violence, people facing eviction, and anyone without the resources to navigate a legal dispute.
That does not mean every voter will reach the same conclusion about every candidate. It does mean we should not skip this part of the ballot.
Here are a few ways to prepare:
- Look up the judicial races on your ballot. Your ballot may include statewide appellate races and local district, justice, or municipal court races. Ballots vary by county and district.
- Read more than a name. Review candidate questionnaires, professional backgrounds, public records, and reliable nonpartisan voter guides. Be cautious about claims that do not provide evidence or context.
- Understand the court. Different courts handle different matters. The court’s jurisdiction can help explain the responsibilities of the office.
- Vote all the way to the end. Judicial races often appear after offices and ballot questions that receive more attention, but these choices still matter.
LEAN does not tell voters how to vote for individual judicial candidates. We encourage every voter to take these choices seriously, seek reliable information, and consider the kind of courts Nevada needs: courts marked by fairness, integrity, competence, patience, and respect for the dignity of all people.
Our democracy depends not only on who writes the laws, but also on how those laws are interpreted and applied. Judges help determine whether people receive a fair hearing, whether rights are protected, whether power is held accountable, and whether the rule of law is carried out with wisdom and restraint.
So when your ballot arrives, do not stop early. Research the candidates. Pray, reflect, and vote with care.
Finish the ballot.
A quick guide to Nevada’s courts
Nevada’s state court system includes appellate courts and trial courts. Each court has a different role.
Nevada Supreme Court
The Nevada Supreme Court is the state’s highest court. It has seven justices, elected statewide to six-year terms in nonpartisan elections. It reviews appeals and oversees the administration of Nevada’s state court system. The court may assign some appeals to the Court of Appeals.
Nevada Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals is Nevada’s intermediate appellate court. Its judges are elected statewide to six-year terms. The Supreme Court assigns cases to it for review. The Court of Appeals does not conduct trials; it reviews decisions made by lower courts.
District courts
District courts are Nevada’s general-jurisdiction trial courts, organized across the state’s judicial districts. They hear major civil and criminal cases, including felony cases, as well as family and juvenile matters. District court judges are elected by voters in their judicial districts to six-year terms.
Justice courts
Justice courts serve townships and handle matters within their limited jurisdiction. Depending on the case, this can include preliminary hearings in felony cases, misdemeanors, traffic matters, evictions, and small claims. Justices of the peace are elected by voters in their township to six-year terms.
Municipal courts
Municipal courts handle violations of city ordinances, including many traffic and misdemeanor matters. Municipal judges are generally elected by the city’s voters. A city ordinance or charter sets the term, and state law allows some exceptions, including a justice of the peace serving as the city’s municipal judge.
Federal and tribal courts
Federal courts are separate from Nevada’s state courts. Federal district court judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate; Article III judges generally serve during good behavior. Federal courts hear cases involving federal law and other matters within federal jurisdiction.
Tribal Nations have their own judicial systems. Tribal court authority and the kinds of cases heard vary by Nation and by the law that applies. Tribal courts are distinct from the Nevada state court system.
Filling midterm vacancies
When a vacancy occurs before the end of a term on the Nevada Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, or a district court, the Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection reviews applicants and submits nominees to the governor. The governor appoints someone to serve until the next general election. Voters then elect a judge to serve the remainder of the term. This is a temporary vacancy-filling process; it is not a retention election.
Local justice and municipal court vacancies are handled under the state laws and local rules that apply to those courts.
