Florida First District Court of Appeals judicial retention

Rulings from six North Florida judicial circuits, including the Fourth Circuit (Clay, Duval and Nassau counties) and the Eight Circuit (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist Levy and Union counties), are appealed to the First District Court of Appeals.

Once nominated by the governor and ratified by the legislature, appeals court judges face the voters in a “yes” or “no” vote as to whether they should remain in office in the first general election after selection and again every six years. (More about the process in the Supreme Court’s Guide for Florida Voters.)

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Five of the 15 judges in the First District are up for retention votes this November.

As these are nonpartisan elections and there are no opposing candidates, we are listing the judges on the ballot and providing links to their biographies.

Ross L. Bilbrey

2015 to present. (Official biography)

Susan Kelsey

2015 to present. (Official biography)

Bobby Long

2020 to present. (Official biography)

Lori S. Rowe

2009 to present. Currently chief judge. (Official biography)

Bo Winokur

2015 to present. (Official biography)


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