Crowley County judge leaves before retention vote

A Crowley County judge is leaving the position instead of going before voters in a retention vote, a development reported by Colorado Politics.

The decision

The judge’s departure changes the immediate question facing Crowley County voters. Rather than deciding whether to retain the judge, voters will not be asked to make that decision about the departing judge.

What the vote would have addressed

A retention vote is a public decision on whether a judge should remain in office. Because the judge is departing instead of taking part in that process, the retention question no longer concerns that judge’s continued service.

What comes next

The next public steps will concern the position left open by the departure and the election or appointment process connected to it. The timing and structure of that process have not been established here.