Who is running for 18th Judicial District (Arapahoe) District Court, Retention: Judge LaQunya Latrese Baker-McKay in 2026?

Judge, 18th Judicial District Court (Arapahoe County)

LaQunya Latrese Baker-McKay is the sitting 18th Judicial District Court judge, standing for a retention vote on the November 3, 2026 ballot¹. She was appointed to the county court in 2022 and the district court in 2023, both by Governor Jared Polis².

• District Court judge since July 28, 2023; Arapahoe County Court judge from July 1, 2022²
• Deputy State Public Defender in Golden; civil litigator; Office of Alternate Defense Counsel; part-time Denver County Court magistrate; Visiting Assistant Professor of the Practice of Law, University of Denver²
• B.A. in Communications, College of Charleston²
• Appointed to the Arapahoe County Court on July 1, 2022 and to the District Court on July 28, 2023, both by Governor Jared Polis². This is a retention election: voters decide yes or no on keeping the sitting judge, and no opponent is on the ballot¹.
• Bar poll: Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation, 2026 evaluation: Recommendation: Meets Performance Standards. "The Eighteenth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance agrees by a vote of 8-0, with one member absent and one vacancy on the Commission, that Judge LaQunya Latrese Baker-McKay MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS." This is an official state commission evaluation of the judge's performance, not an endorsement².