LINCOLN—Forty-eight Nebraska judges will face retention votes on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot, meaning voters will decide whether each judge will serve another six-year term. The ballot includes two statewide Workers’ Compensation Court judges, 23 district court judges, 20 county court judges, judges from separate juvenile courts in Douglas and Sarpy counties, and Court of Appeals Judge Michael W. Pirtle. No Nebraska Supreme Court justices are up for retention this year.

Eighteen of the 48 judges are facing voters for the first time, while others have gone through multiple retention elections. Nebraska has used this system since 1964, and the last judge who failed to win retention was in 2008. The Nebraska State Bar Association’s attorney survey recommended retaining all but one of the 48 judges. Two other eligible judges, Timothy P. Burns and Mark D. Kozisek, did not file for retention, while Douglas County Juvenile Court Judge Vernon Daniels is also retiring at the end of 2026.

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