Lee County, Florida

Lee County Court Judge Group 5

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Javier A Pacheco, is on the ballot.

Florida › Lee County › Lee County Court Judge Group 5

Decided at the 2026 primary: Mike Colombo won the seat

DECIDED August 18: Mike Colombo unseated incumbent Judge Javier Pacheco with about 57 percent, per the Fort Myers News-Press. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

Winner

Mike Colombo

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Apply the law fairly without legislating from the bench
Support problem-solving courts for mental health and substance abuse

Per the VOTE411 voter guide.

Biography

Colombo is a trial attorney with more than two decades of courtroom experience, including more than 17 years in law enforcement as a prosecutor, per the campaign site. Colombo previously prosecuted cases and has since defended individuals charged with a range of offenses, per the campaign site.

Campaign finance

$90,300 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Also ran in the primary

Javier A Pacheco

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

Efficient management of a 600-plus monthly civil caseload
Access to legal aid through the Lee County eviction docket he championed

Per the VOTE411 voter guide.

Biography

Javier A Pacheco sits on the Lee County Court bench, appointed in 2025, per the Governor's official appointment announcement. He was previously a partner at Porter Wright and a board-certified specialist in business litigation with over 20 years in practice, per WGCU.

Campaign finance

$55,185 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotLee County School Board District 4

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Lee County Court Judge Group 5 in 2026?

The Lee County Court Judge Group 5 race was decided at the 2026 primary - Mike Colombo won the seat - and does not appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 2 candidates were on the primary ballot: Mike Colombo and Javier A Pacheco. Candidate information follows official Lee County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Lee County Court Judge Group 5 election in Florida?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Lee County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Lee County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Florida election office, or see the full Lee County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Lee County ballot

10 tracked races in Lee County, Florida. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Lee County School Board District 5 Florida Senate District 28 Florida House District 76 See all 10 Lee County races

Candidate profiles

Mike Colombo, full profile Javier A Pacheco, full profile Official Florida election office