Judicial Merit Retention

Merit retention is a system of selecting justices that was established by voters when the Florida Constitution was amended in the 1970s. Under merit retention, the governor appoints new justices from a list of three to six names submitted by a judicial nominating commission. New justices face their first merit retention vote in the next general election that occurs more than one year after their appointment. If retained, the justice serves a six-year term beginning in early January following the merit retention election.

Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson (retained)