Florida voters will decide whether to retain 5 of 7 state Supreme Court justices

Five of the seven sitting justices on the Florida Supreme Court are on the November ballot for a retention vote.

Florida’s Supreme Court justices are appointed by the governor. But voters decide whether the justices should be retained; such votes are conducted in the first general election that occurs more than a year after a justice’s appointment, and again every six years.

The state’s highest court has the final say in some of the major issues facing Floridians. That includes final orders imposing the death penalty, district court decisions declaring a provision of the state Constitution or a statute invalid, certain orders from the Public Service Commission on utility rates or services, and issues that it decides are of great public importance, such as whether the privacy clause in the state’s Constitution includes abortion.

Voters statewide will be able to choose “yes” or “no” on whether to retain each of these justices:

Charles T. Canady: appointed to the Supreme Court by then-Gov. Charlie Crist in 2008.

John D. Couriel: appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2020.

Jamie Grosshans: appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2020.

Jorge Labarga: appointed to the Supreme Court by then-Gov. Charlie Crist in 2009.

Ricky Polston: appointed to the Supreme Court by then-Gov. Charlie Crist in 2008.

We’re working hard to bring you the latest news on the elections in Florida. This effort takes a lot of resources to gather and update. If you haven’t already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription. Or click here to make a donation to the Tampa Bay Times Journalism Fund.