Alaska Voters to Decide Retention for 21 Judges

The 2026 midterm election ballot includes retention votes for judges across Alaska's court system.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Criminal Justice

Bold flat-color editorial illustration showing a geometric building silhouette, evoking the institutional process of judicial retention elections in Alaska. — Alaska voters will decide the retention of 21 judges in the 2026 midterm election, following rare negative recommendations by the judicial council. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you believe judges should be subject to periodic retention votes by the public?

Alaska voters will head to the polls on November 3, 2026, to decide whether to retain 21 judges currently serving on the bench. The Alaska Judicial Council has formally recommended against retaining two specific judges, marking the first time in 12 years such a recommendation has been issued.

Why it matters

The Alaska Constitution mandates periodic retention elections to ensure judicial accountability. The council issued its negative recommendations for Kelly J. Lawson and Martin Fallon based on identified performance standard failures regarding integrity and temperament.

The Alaska Judicial Council recommended retaining 18 judges, provided no recommendation for Marianna Carpeneti, and opposed retention for Kelly J. Lawson and Martin Fallon. This is the first time in 12 years the council has opposed a judge's retention.

The players

Alaska Judicial Council

This state body is responsible for screening judicial applicants and evaluating the performance of sitting judges for retention.

Kelly J. Lawson

She serves as a judge on the Kenai Superior Court and is facing a non-retention recommendation from the state council.

Martin Fallon

He serves as a judge on the Kenai District Court and was specifically named in the council's negative retention report.

Marianna Carpeneti

She is a judge on the Juneau Superior Court for whom the Alaska Judicial Council issued no official recommendation.

Jude Pate

He is an Alaska Supreme Court justice who was appointed to his position in early 2023.

The details

Judges are evaluated through attorney and court employee surveys, caseload analysis, and financial disclosures. Voters cast ballots based on their registered judicial district, with the terms for Superior Court judges lasting six years and District Court judges serving four-year terms.

January 2023: Jude Pate was appointed to the Alaska Supreme Court.
October 19, 2026: Early in-person voting officially opened.
November 3, 2026: Polls close across the state at 8 p.m.

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Legal Context

These retention votes are a direct application of the Alaska Constitution, which requires judges to stand for periodic public approval. The council's recent divergence from its typical positive recommendations underscores the weight of the current performance review process.

Residents should review their specific judicial district ballots to understand which judges are up for retention in their area. Voters can cast their ballots at local precincts by 8 p.m. on November 3 to participate in these final retention determinations.

The takeaway

Voters play a critical role in the oversight of the state judiciary through the retention process. It is important for citizens to consult the Alaska Judicial Council reports to understand the performance record of the judges appearing on their upcoming ballot.