Local Politics · Maricopa County
Arizona Judicial Retention Vote Draws Unusual Scrutiny in Maricopa County
Forty-nine Maricopa County Superior Court judges are up for retention this year, with the Maricopa County Republican Committee identifying 24 for rejection and Civic Engagement Beyond Voting recommending removal of seven; Judge Julie Mata appeared on both lists. Since Arizona adopted merit selection in 1974, only six judges have been removed through elections, but campaign signs urging voters to reject judges have become visible across the Phoenix area. Heightened scrutiny follows the 2024 deaths of Alec and Lydia Mater, whom their father killed after a family court judge granted him unsupervised parenting time despite the mother's objections. The Commission on Judicial Performance Review reported that all 83 judges up for retention met standards this cycle, while the Commission on Judicial Conduct has dismissed 97% of complaints over the past 15 years.