Judicial Elections Ballot Cram Session at The Crawford

Of everything on a Los Angeles County ballot, the judge races are the part most people skip or guess at. More than 400 Superior Court judges serve the county, and the names run on for pages with almost no context. LAist's Judicial Elections Ballot Cram Session is a one-hour, in-person fix for that, held on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at The Crawford in Pasadena.

What to expect

LAist reporter Cato Hernández has covered judicial elections since 2022 and will lead the evening. The goal is practical: explain what these judges actually do, how to read the judicial section of your ballot, and what to look for before you mark it. Hernández will also cover the state-level justices who appear on this election's ballot.

Experts will be on hand to add insight and take questions:

• Laurie Levenson, a Loyola Marymount University law professor who holds the David W. Burcham Chair in Ethical Advocacy, and a former federal prosecutor.
• Hon. Stuart M. Rice (ret.), a retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge and past president of the California Judges Association.

Superior Court judges oversee trials and hearings across the county, from custody and divorce cases to small claims and contract disputes. That makes it likely you will land in front of one at some point, which is the whole argument for knowing who is on the ballot.

Event details

When: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Where: The Crawford, 474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena 91105 Cost: Free Tickets: Reserve through the LAist event page

Planning your visit

Among the upcoming events Los Angeles voters can use before the November 3 General Election, this is one of the more hands-on. It pairs well with LAist's Voter Game Plan, an online set of interactive voter guides where you can also submit questions ahead of time.

The session is short, so it fits easily into a weeknight in Pasadena. Plan to arrive a few minutes early, and bring your sample ballot if you have it so you can follow along. If you need an accommodation, LAist asks that you email events@laist.com or call (626) 583-5222 at least seven days before the event.

For anyone building a list of things to do in Los Angeles that actually help you show up informed, a free hour with a reporter and two legal experts is hard to beat. Browse more civic and community picks in our arts and culture section.