What about the judges? What to know about judicial candidates on ballots around Kansas City

You’re likely to see a number of incumbent judges’ names on your ballot this upcoming Election Day. But instead of choosing between them and an opponent, most Kansas City area voters will be asked to decide whether or not to “retain” them.

Many Kansas City area judges on both sides of the state line are selected by nonpartisan state committees. But voters still have a say: If these appointed judges aren’t doing a good job, residents can choose to kick them out of the position. If that happens, the state will appoint their replacement.

Here’s a look at who you’ll be asked about electing or “retaining” on your ballot during the upcoming election.

Why are voters asked about “retaining” judges?

Voters in Jackson, Clay and Platte Counties and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Johnson County in Kansas, will see questions on their ballots about “retaining” judges rather than electing them. That’s because Supreme Court, appellate and local district and circuit court judges in all these locations are appointed rather than chosen directly by voters.

In the 1940s a handful of counties in Missouri, including the three that make up the Kansas City area, chose to begin appointing judges rather than electing them. This anti-corruption measure was meant to reduce the influence of powerful political machines and immediate voter opinions on judges’ decisions.

The committees in charge of appointing judges are made up of lawyers chosen by the state’s bar association, citizens chosen by the governor and the chief justice of the court the judge will be joining. These committees are intended to pick judges based on merit and skill, rather than partisan politics.

Kansas also uses committees to appoint its Supreme Court justices and local judges in some counties, including Johnson County. In Wyandotte County, local judges are popularly elected. Even if the candidates you see are running unopposed, they still need votes from the public to put them in office.

How can voters decide whether to retain a judge?

Voters may not know much about the judges on their ballot. That’s why the Missouri Bar Association releases performance reviews of appointed judges every time they’re up for retainment.

These reviews compile the results from surveys given to lawyers and jurors who have interacted with a particular judge directly. Judges are evaluated on categories including their legal ability, the fairness of their decisions and the quality of the opinions they write.

The bar association’s Judicial Performance Review Committee then decides whether each judge “substantially meets overall judicial performance standards.”

See how the judges on your ballot have been ranked in Jackson County, Clay County and Platte County on the Missouri Bar Association’s judicial review website.

In Kansas, some local bar associations ask lawyers whether the judges up for election should be retained or removed from office. You can see summaries of their answers in Johnson County here. The Wyandotte County Bar Association has not released a similar document.

What judges will appear on my ballot in Missouri?

All Kansas City area voters in Clay, Platte and Jackson counties will vote on whether to retain four types of judges during this election. Here’s who they are and what work they do in the state.

Missouri Supreme Court Judges: These judges serve on the highest court in the state. They rule on cases that involve challenges to the state constitution, to federal statutes, death penalty cases and other types of high-profile cases that have been challenged in regional appelate courts.

Voters across Missouri will vote on whether to retain state Supreme Court judges Zel M. Fischer and Robin Ransom.

Missouri Court of Appeals Judges for the Western District: This intermediate court hears cases that are facing an appeal following a local circuit court decision.

Voters in the Western District, which covers the northwest portion of the state, will vote on whether to retain judges Alok Ahuja, Karen King Mitchell, Mark D. Pfeiffer and Doug Thomson.

Circuit Court Judges and Associate Judges: These local courts are where all civil and criminal cases begin in the state. Their judges hear cases in one of Missouri’s 46 judicial circuits. Here’s what Kansas City voters will weigh in on:

• Jackson County and Kansas City voters will decide on whether to retain eight Circuit Court Judges and seven Associate Circuit Court Judges in the 16th Judicial Circuit. You can find their names on the Jackson County sample ballot and Kansas City sample ballot.

• Clay County voters will decide on whether to retain Circuit Court Judge Shane T. Alexander and Associate Circuit Court Judge Karen Lee Krauser in the 7th Judicial Circuit.

• Platte County voters will decide on whether to retain Circuit Court Judges Thomas C. Fincham and Ann Hansbrough and Associate Circuit Court Judge Megan Blair Benton in the 6th Judicial Circuit.

What judges will appear on my ballot in Kansas?

In Johnson County, voters will be asked to decide whether to retain the following judges:

• Six justices on the Kansas Supreme Court

• Seven judges on the Kansas Court of Appeals– the state’s intermediate court

• 12 District Court Judges in the 10th Judicial District– the area’s local court

• Two District Magistrate Judges in the 10th Judicial District

To find the names of the judges you will be voting on, look up a sample ballot using your full name and date of birth on the state’s Voter View site.

In Wyandotte County, you will be asked to vote directly on the following judges:

• Six justices on the Kansas Supreme Court

• Seven judges on the Kansas Court of Appeals – the state’s intermediate court

• Eight District Court Judges in the 29th Judicial District – the area’s local court

To find the names of the judges you will be voting on, look up a sample ballot using your full name and date of birth on the state’s Voter View site.

The Kansas Supreme Court’s current justices ruled that the state’s constitution protects the right to abortion. Voters’ retention of these justices could serve as a referendum on this ruling– one which voters chose not to overturn by a significant margin in August’s primary election.

Do you have more questions about the upcoming election on Nov. 8? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.

This story was originally published October 27, 2022 at 7:30 AM.

Natalie Wallington

The Kansas City Star

Natalie Wallington was a reporter on The Star’s service journalism team with a focus on policy, labor, sustainability and local utilities from fall 2021 until early 2025. Her coverage of the region’s recycling system won a 2024 Feature Writing award from the Kansas Press Association.