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Per-judge retention calls inside
The ballot
Colorado Court of Appeals judges are appointed by the governor from a nominating commission's list, serve a provisional term, and then face the voters statewide in a retention election — an uncontested yes-or-no question, judge by judge — for eight-year terms. A majority of YES votes retains; a majority of NO votes removes the judge when the term ends. The election is November 3, 2026.
Six judges are on the ballot: Rebecca Rankin Freyre, Elizabeth L. Harris, Katharine E. Lum, Pax Moultrie, Karl L. Schock, and Grant Sullivan. (One aggregator listed a seventh name, John Daniel Dailey; the official OJPE list controls — Dailey retired, and his vacancy is the one Judge Sullivan filled — so the slate is six, not seven.)
The official evidence comes from the Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation: surveys of attorneys and judges, opinion review and courtroom observation, ending in a State Commission vote on whether each judge Meets Performance Standards. All six were voted Meets, each by a unanimous 9–0 commission vote.
| Judge | On the court since | Appointed by | Commission vote | Our call | |---|---|---|---|---| | Rebecca Rankin Freyre | 2015 | Gov. John Hickenlooper | Meets Performance Standards, 9–0 | Retain | | Elizabeth L. Harris | 2015 | Gov. John Hickenlooper | Meets Performance Standards, 9–0 | Retain | | Katharine E. Lum | 2022 | Gov. Jared Polis | Meets Performance Standards, 9–0 | Retain | | Pax Moultrie | 2024 | Gov. Jared Polis | Meets Performance Standards, 9–0 | Retain | | Karl L. Schock | 2022 | Gov. Jared Polis | Meets Performance Standards, 9–0 | Retain | | Grant Sullivan | 2024 | Gov. Jared Polis | Meets Performance Standards, 9–0 | Retain |
Per-judge notes
Rebecca Rankin Freyre (since September 2015). The commission called her "an exemplary jurist," and every survey respondent agreed she meets standards. She served as the court's Deputy Chief Judge from January 2022 to January 2026. Before the bench she was a deputy state public defender for 25 years — a quarter-century representing indigent defendants, which is service, and it is also the whole of her pre-bench profile: voters who weigh a defense-side career differently can see it plainly here. Retain.
Elizabeth L. Harris (since July 2015). The commission found her opinions "clear, well-written, and reasonably timely" — and recorded the one documented weakness on this slate: both lawyers and judges raised the length of time Judge Harris takes to issue an opinion. The sample was small (5 attorneys, 22 judges) and 93% of respondents agreed she meets standards; the commission's vote was unanimous. A documented timeliness criticism is a real debit, printed as one — and on a unanimous Meets vote with a 93% meets figure, it is a watch item, not proven cause for removal. Retain.
Katharine E. Lum (since November 2022; first retention). Appointed by Governor Polis (announced September 15, 2022). The commission called her "an exceptional judicial writer," and every respondent agreed she meets standards. Retain.
Karl L. Schock (since November 2022; first retention). Appointed by Governor Polis alongside Judge Lum. "Every person surveyed agreed" he meets standards, and many praised his clear writing. Before the bench he was an assistant U.S. attorney in the appellate division. Retain.
Pax Moultrie (since January 1, 2024; first retention on this court). Appointed by Governor Polis to fill the vacancy created by Judge David Furman's retirement. She came up through trial work: assistant county attorney in Jefferson and Arapahoe counties, magistrate judge (2018–2020), then a Denver district court judge handling juvenile matters (2020–2023). The commission found her opinions "thoughtful, accessible, and well written," and every respondent agreed she meets standards. Retain.
Grant Sullivan (since January 1, 2024; first retention). Appointed by Governor Polis to fill the vacancy created by Judge John Daniel Dailey's retirement. Before the bench: assistant solicitor general and senior assistant attorney general in the Colorado Attorney General's Office, where his practice included constitutional and election law; earlier, clerkships on both Colorado appellate courts. The commission found his opinions "consistently well-reasoned, fair, and thoughtfully articulated," and his self-evaluation and stakeholder feedback reflected "a deep commitment to timely, transparent, and respectful engagement with all parties." Retain.
Dirt, for the slate as a whole: beyond Judge Harris's documented timeliness criticism, our research — the OJPE evaluations, the commission narratives, and Colorado coverage of this ballot — surfaced no disciplinary record, no ethics finding, and no organized retain-or-remove campaign against any of the six.
OUR CALL
Our rule: Retain is the verdict for a judge with a serviceable documented record; removal requires proven cause — documented misconduct, proven activist judging that breaks faith with the law, or an evaluation failure. Six unanimous Meets votes, one disclosed watch item (Harris, timeliness), and no proven cause against anyone.
Retain: Rebecca Rankin Freyre, Elizabeth L. Harris, Katharine E. Lum, Pax Moultrie, Karl L. Schock, Grant Sullivan. Do not retain: none.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website. Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same. --- Sources - Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation — 2026 Judicial Performance Evaluations, full list (all six: MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS; official slate of six) — https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/2026-judicial-performance-evaluations-full-list - Discover Douglas County, 2026 — per-judge commission findings (unanimous 9–0 votes; Freyre "exemplary jurist" and deputy chief judge service; Harris timeliness weakness and 93% figure; Lum, Moultrie, Schock and Sullivan narratives) — https://discoverdougco.com/news/douglas-county-judges-retention-2026 - Law Week Colorado, November 2023 — Governor Polis appoints Pax Moultrie and Grant Sullivan (vacancies, backgrounds, effective January 1, 2024) — https://www.lawweekcolorado.com/article/gov-polis-appoints-judge-pax-moultrie-grant-sullivan-to-the-colorado-court-of-appeals/ - Law Week Colorado, September 2022 — Governor Polis appoints Katharine Lum and Karl Schock — https://www.lawweekcolorado.com/tag/new-judges/page/2/ - Fort Collins Coloradoan, October 1, 2026 — Sullivan commission narrative — https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/10/01/colorado-judges-justices-up-for-retention-on-november-2026-ballot/91810555007/ - Ballotpedia — judges appointed by John Hickenlooper (Freyre, September 21, 2015; Harris, July 1, 2015) — https://ballotpedia.org/Judges_appointed_by_John_Hickenlooper
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.