About the Election

Second District Judge Candidate

Michelle Evans

This judicial election is for the purpose of selecting your next Second District Court Judge (with chambers in Nez Perce County) who will take office in January 2023. The election will take place in the general election on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. This is a non-partisan race and will be decided by the voters of all five counties within the Second Judicial District – Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce Counties.

Idaho has seven judicial districts. The Second Judicial District is comprised of Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce Counties. The Second Judicial District has four District Judges – one with chambers in Latah County, two with chambers in Nez Perce County, and one with chambers in Idaho County (who presides in Idaho, Clearwater and Lewis Counties). The District Judges primarily handle cases arising from their counties, but also may preside over matters from other counties within the district and are occasionally assigned cases from other judicial districts. A District Judge presides over the most serious criminal cases, felonies, and civil cases where the claim of damages exceeds $10,000. Typical civil damage actions include personal injury and contractual disputes. Additionally, the District Judge hears post-conviction relief actions in which a defendant challenges his or her conviction or incarceration. District Judges also preside over appeals from decisions made by Magistrate Judges.

A District Judge in the State of Idaho is elected by registered voters in all counties of the Judicial District for a period of four years. The non-partisan judicial election is usually decided in the May primary election. If there is a candidate that earns over 50% of the vote, that candidate will take the office in January 2023. If there is not a candidate who earns over 50% of the vote, then the two candidates with the most votes will run against each other in the November general election. An alternative way in which a District Judge position is selected is when a seated District Judge retires mid-term and applications for the position are submitted to the Idaho Judicial Council. The Council interviews the candidates and submits a list of 3-4 qualified candidates to the Idaho Governor’s Office. The governor then selects the next District Judge. However, Judge Jay Gaskill is retiring at the end of his term, leaving his successor to be decided by you, the voters of the Second Judicial District.

While Judge Evans received the most total votes in the May primary election against the two other candidates, she did not attain over 50% of the vote. Accordingly, Judge Evans will be in a run-off during the November 8th general election against John H. Bradbury.

Go to VoteIdaho.gov to verify you are a registered voter and to locate your polling location. Remember, your vote counts – please vote on November 8th!

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