Review note: Knock LA may have more bias because it is an advocacy voter guide compared to other formal government and nonprofit journalism sources.
- results.lavote.gov (opens in a new tab)LA County RR/CC — Certified results, June 2, 2026 primary (certified 2026-06-26)
- content.lavote.gov (opens in a new tab)LA County RR/CC — Offices Scheduled for Election, November 3, 2026 (6/26/26)
- laist.com (opens in a new tab)LAist — LA County judicial races guide (LACBA ratings, ballot designations)
- lacba.org (opens in a new tab)LA County Bar Association — 2026 Judicial Candidate Evaluations
- knock-la.com (opens in a new tab)Knock LA — June 2026 judicial voter guide
- campaignfinance.lacounty.gov (opens in a new tab)LA County campaign-finance disclosure (Registrar-Recorder / NetFile)
Last updated September 21, 2026.
County
Judge of the Superior Court, Office No. 65
This person holds a countywide seat on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. This is the state trial court. The term is six years.
This race is headed to a November 3 runoff. It is between Deputy Public Defender Justin Clayton and Deputy County Counsel Anna Slotky Reitano. Clayton had 36.7%. Reitano had 29.9%. Unusually, both finalists come from the defense side of the courtroom.
The winner serves a six-year term on the county's trial bench, assigned anywhere from criminal and civil to family and probate court. Trial judges rule alone — their decisions are checked mainly on appeal — so the person matters more than in almost any other down-ballot office.
Both finalists come from the defense side of the courtroom, so the usual prosecutor-versus-defender axis does not apply here. What separates them is how openly each has declared a judicial philosophy: one has stated reform-minded views on bail and incarceration and run on a slate, the other has run a deliberately low-profile campaign. Weigh whether you would rather know a judge's leanings going in, or prefer a candidate who has not committed to any.
Justin Allen Clayton
Justin Allen Clayton is a Deputy Public Defender. Clayton is rated Qualified, like all four June candidates. Even guides that endorsed Clayton's rival called them strong. Clayton's campaign has had unusually little drama.
Anna Slotky Reitano
Anna Slotky Reitano is a Deputy County Counsel in the Justice and Safety Division. She spent more than a decade as a public defender before that. She ran in 2022 on the La Defensa backed Defenders of Justice slate. She openly states her judicial philosophy. It favors reform on bail and incarceration.
Your pick
A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.