Judging the judges

Today marks the debut of our general election 2026 Judicial Race Project, our biennial effort to do a deeper dive than any other outlet into races that voters often know very little about.

This is a voter guide in two parts:

First, we partnered with the UNLV Boyd School of Law, with student volunteers researching the candidates and providing useful background for voters to absorb. Many thanks to them and to Kayla Farzaneh, who supervised the students for us.

Second, we assembled a diverse panel of lawyers to evaluate the judges and challengers based on their knowledge and experience. This is obviously imperfect, and I lament that Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson did not participate at the last moment. I am thankful for this dedicated group of lawyers who took the time to do their own research, too, helping to enlighten voters.

Many of you are about to fill out your mail ballots, and I urge you to take the time to read about these important races before you vote. You may never have to appear before a judge, but you should be as concerned as anyone about the quality of the bench. Even if you believe judges should be appointed rather than elected — as I do — this is the universe we live in and our mission is to give you the best information we can before you decide.

As always, we welcome your feedback at [email protected]. You can also contact me at [email protected].