Judges on the Douglas County Ballot 2026: What the Performance Commissions Said About Each One

Your Douglas County ballot asks thirteen questions that all read the same way: "Shall Judge So-and-so be retained in office?" Nobody is running against these judges, and none of them is allowed to campaign. The only public information most voters will see about them is an evaluation written by a volunteer commission. Here is what those commissions said about each judge on this county's ballot.

How a retention vote works

Colorado voters ended contested judicial elections in 1966. When a seat opens, a nominating commission sends the governor two or three names and the governor picks one. The new judge serves a two-year provisional term, then goes on the ballot alone with a yes-or-no question. If a majority of the votes on that question are yes, the judge stays: four years for county court, six for district court, eight for the Court of Appeals, ten for the Supreme Court. Then the judge is back on the ballot. There is no term limit; the mandatory retirement age is 72.

Because there is no opponent, there is no campaign. The Colorado Code of Judicial Conduct bars judges from campaign activity unless someone organizes active opposition. Since 1990, Colorado voters have retained 1,898 of 1,914 judges who stood, or 99.2 percent.

Who writes the evaluations

The General Assembly created the commissions on judicial performance in 1988. One State Commission evaluates the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals; one commission in each of the 23 judicial districts evaluates that district's district and county judges. All are volunteer citizens. The State Commission has eleven members, six non-attorneys and five attorneys; each district commission has ten, six non-attorneys and four attorneys. Appointments are split among the Chief Justice, the governor, the Speaker, the Senate President and the two minority leaders, and the commissions are nonpartisan.

Each commission must interview the judge, observe the judge in court, read a selection of decisions, review the self-evaluation and caseload statistics, and consider surveys from the people who appeared in that courtroom: attorneys, jurors, litigants, victims, law enforcement, court and probation staff. The narrative must state a recommendation and the vote count. The commissions do not investigate misconduct; that is the separate Commission on Judicial Discipline.

Why the 23rd Judicial District changes the list

Until 2025, Douglas County's trial judges belonged to the 18th Judicial District with Arapahoe, Elbert and Lincoln counties, a district serving more than a million people. House Bill 20-1026 pulled Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln out to form the 23rd Judicial District, the first new district in Colorado since 1965. Voters approved Amendment D in 2022 to let the governor reassign seven 18th District judges to the new district, and the 23rd came online in January 2025.

That is why the district judges on your ballot carry a "23rd Judicial District" label that did not exist two years ago, and why a new 23rd Judicial District Commission evaluated them; by its own narratives, it had two vacancies and one absent member when it voted. Judge Klingensmith, for example, was appointed to the 18th District in September 2023 and now stands for retention in the 23rd.

Colorado Supreme Court: Justice William W. Hood III

The State Commission voted 9-0 that Hood, on the court since January 2014, meets performance standards. It found him "courteous to attorneys" with "an admirable work ethic," and said "he has a clear writing style that makes the reader's job easier." Seven attorneys and 24 judges answered the survey; overall they affirmed he meets standards. Before this court he was a Denver District Court judge and, earlier, a prosecutor in the 18th Judicial District.

Colorado Court of Appeals: six judges

All six drew unanimous 9-0 votes from the State Commission.

Rebecca Rankin Freyre, appointed 2015, was Deputy Chief Judge from January 2022 to January 2026. The commission called her "an exemplary jurist," and "every survey respondent agreed" she meets standards. A deputy state public defender for 25 years before the bench.

Elizabeth L. Harris, appointed 2015. The commission found her opinions "clear, well-written, and reasonably timely," but recorded one weakness both lawyers and judges raised: "the length of time required for Judge Harris to issue an opinion." Only 5 attorneys and 22 judges responded; 93 percent agreed she meets standards.

Katharine E. Lum, appointed 2022, first retention. "An exceptional judicial writer," per the commission; every respondent agreed she meets standards.

Pax Moultrie, appointed January 2024, first retention on this court. Her opinions are "thoughtful, accessible, and well written," and every respondent agreed she meets standards.

Karl L. Schock, appointed 2022. "Every person surveyed agreed" he meets standards; "many praised his clear writing." A former assistant U.S. attorney in the appellate division.

Grant Sullivan, on the court since January 2024. The commission found his opinions "consistently well-reasoned, fair, and thoughtfully articulated." He came from the Colorado Attorney General's Office, where his practice included election law.

23rd Judicial District: four district judges

These judges hear the county's felonies, civil suits, divorces and custody cases. The 23rd Judicial District Commission evaluated all four.

Andrew Baum, appointed August 2017, 7-0. He handles domestic relations and the district's new problem-solving courts (sobriety, recovery, wellness and veterans courts) and "has led the effort to establish the newly mandated competency courts for the 23rd Judicial District." His demeanor is "respectful, fair, kind, and just." Of 23 attorneys surveyed, 75 percent said he meets standards; of 18 non-attorneys, 82 percent. An Army JAG officer before he was a Denver prosecutor.

Victoria E. Klingensmith, appointed September 2023, 6-1. The commission described her as "prepared, professional, respectful, fair, and knowledgeable about criminal and civil law," with decisions that are "clear, concise and well written." The survey behind the vote was small: four attorneys responded, and of those, 25 percent said she meets standards and 75 percent said she does not; of eleven non-attorneys, 82 percent said yes. The commission relied on its interview, her opinions and courtroom observation and found she meets standards. She spent about 19 years as a deputy district attorney in the 18th District. Klingensmith is also the judge who this month twice declined to alter the commissioners' wording of Questions 200 and 1A before the election; our account of that ruling is here. The commission's evaluation does not mention it.

Theresa Slade, appointed August 2012, unanimous. She presides over a mixed docket in Elbert County and during this term sat in Douglas, Arapahoe and Elbert. The commission found she handles "complex, sensitive, and emotionally difficult issues with care and precision." Of twelve attorneys, 82 percent said she meets standards; of ten non-attorneys, 60 percent.

Daniel W. Warhola, appointed August 2024, 6-0 with one commissioner recused. He moved to a full-time criminal docket in October 2025. The commission "applauds the work he has done as a new judge to learn the job" and called his demeanor "calm, respectful, and approachable." Of fourteen attorneys, 82 percent said he meets standards; of fifteen non-attorneys, 67 percent yes, 20 percent no, 13 percent no opinion.

Douglas County Court: two judges

County court handles misdemeanors, traffic and smaller civil cases, so these are the judges a Douglas County resident is most likely to meet. Both drew 7-0 votes.

Lawrence Bowling, appointed January 2011. He "scored higher than average for all County Judges," and the commission called the feedback on him "exceptional." Sixty people responded: 92 percent of attorneys and 86 percent of non-attorneys said he meets standards.

Kolony L. Fields, appointed December 2019, "scored higher than average for Douglas County Judges," with fairness, dignity, respect and communication among her highest-ranked categories. Of 26 respondents, 89 percent of attorneys and 86 percent of non-attorneys said she meets standards.

More: every race and measure on your ballot and our full November ballot guide. We do not endorse candidates. Campaigns can send corrections to hello@discoverdougco.com.