Alameda Superior Court judicial candidates Selia Warren and Michael Johnson have the experience and temperament to be judges.

Few ballot decisions are more vexing for California voters than nonpartisan, county elections for Superior Court judges.

The vast majority of the more than 1,750 judges who serve in that capacity are appointed by the governor. Vetting for these appointments is exhaustive.

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Candidates must submit a list of 50 people they’ve worked with — including legal opponents they’ve faced in court — to the state Judicial Nominees Evaluation Committee, which then conducts a months-long background check into character, health, temperament and experience.

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Meanwhile, the governor’s office also relies on local bar associations to rank candidates anywhere from “not qualified” to “extremely qualified” based on their reputation in the community and aptitude for the law.

So, if California has an exacting process for selecting qualified judges, why do these positions still occasionally show up on your ballot?

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Voters get involved in only two instances: when an incumbent judge is challenged at the conclusion of a six-year term and when a vacancy occurs that the governor has not yet filled.

The Chronicle editorial board has begun rolling out its endorsements for California’s June primary election. In the weeks to come, we will publish our assessments of all the state races, including the governor’s race, plus local races and ballot measures. To read more about how the editorial board makes its election endorsements, go here.Plus: Look out for the Chronicle’s Voter Guide to publish in early May, as ballots get mailed out across the Bay Area.

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That doesn’t happen often. But when it does, voters have to proceed without the benefit of a team of skilled lawyers conducting background checks.

County voter guides sometimes contain a 200-word introduction written by a........

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