INDIANA — Indiana voters heading to the polls will consider whether to retain three statewide jurists serving on the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Indiana Tax Court.
The retention ballot features Judge Mary DeBoer and Judge Paul Felix, who both serve on statewide districts of the Indiana Court of Appeals—the state’s second-highest court—as well as Judge Justin McAdam, who serves as the sole judge on the specialized Indiana Tax Court.
Under Indiana’s merit selection system, appellate and tax court judges do not run against opposing candidates. Instead, voters decide a straightforward “Yes” or “No” question on whether each judge should be retained in office for a full 10-year term.
The process begins when a vacancy opens, at which point the seven-member Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission evaluates applicants and submits a list of three qualified nominees to the governor. The governor makes the final appointment from that list. Newly appointed judges face their initial non-partisan retention vote at the first statewide general election held after serving at least two years on the bench. If a majority of voters approve retention, the judge serves a 10-year term before facing another retention vote.
The Judges Up for Retention
Judge Mary DeBoer (Indiana Court of Appeals)…