Johnson County voters will see 18 judges on the Nov. 3 ballot, each with a simple yes-or-no question: Should this judge keep the job?

The retention section covers two Kansas Supreme Court justices, five Court of Appeals judges, 10 district court judges and one magistrate, according to the Johnson County Post. Four district court or magistrate judges on the ballot live in Overland Park, Leawood or Prairie Village.

The names appear near the end of the ballot with no partisan labels. For most voters, the names will be unfamiliar.

How retention works

Kansas uses a merit-based system for selecting and retaining judges. A nominating commission screens candidates and sends finalists to the governor, who makes the appointment. Judges then face periodic retention votes, according to the Johnson County Election Office.

Supreme Court justices serve six-year terms between retention votes. Appeals court, district court and magistrate judges face voters every four years.

Kansas voters preserved this system in August, when they rejected a constitutional amendment that would have required Supreme Court justices to run in competitive elections. 61.4% voted no, the Kansas Reflector reported. Proponents of the failed amendment had argued that retention votes lack real accountability, noting no Kansas justice has ever lost one.

Retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier, who opposed the amendment, said in August that the result showed voters want the court to "remain fair and impartial for every citizen," according to the Kansas Reflector.

Local judges on the ballot

Four judges with direct ties to the Overland Park area are up for retention.

Timothy P. McCarthy of Overland Park, a district court judge in Division 18, was appointed in 2013 by Gov. Sam Brownback. McCarthy presides over the county's Veterans Treatment Court. 89% of responding attorneys recommended retaining him.

Michael Patrick Joyce of Leawood, a district court judge in Division 15, was also a Brownback appointee in 2012 after 24 years in private practice. Joyce earned a Master of Judicial Studies at the University of Nevada in 2022. He received the lowest retention rating among the 18 judges at 71%.

Keven O'Grady of Prairie Village, a district court judge in Division 1, was appointed by Brownback in 2012. O'Grady spent 25 years in private practice and has served on state supreme court advisory groups on dispute resolution and access to justice. His retention rating was 87%.

Jenifer Ashford of Prairie Village, the lone magistrate on the ballot, was appointed in 2017 by the Tenth Judicial District Nominating Commission. Ashford has served as a prosecutor in Johnson County, in Jackson County, Missouri, and in St. Louis. Her retention rating was 81%.

Supreme Court justices

Chief Justice Eric S. Rosen, appointed in 2005 by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, received an 88% retention recommendation from the Kansas Bar Association. Justice Larkin E. Walsh, appointed in 2025 by Gov. Laura Kelly, received 91%.

Bar ratings and voting dates

The Kansas Bar Association rates Supreme Court and appeals court judges. The Johnson County Bar Association evaluates district and magistrate judges. Both groups survey their members on each judge's performance.

Early in-person voting begins Saturday, Oct. 17. Advance mail ballots began going out Wednesday, Oct. 14, according to the Johnson County Election Office. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.