Judge of the Superior Court, Office No. 87
November 3, 2026 · Los Angeles County, California · County · runoff
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 0 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 9,808,667 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(9,808,667 ÷ 9,808,667) ÷ ln(9,808,667 ÷ 1,616) = 0, comparing counties in CA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
This office is responsible for:
- Hearing trials — criminal cases, lawsuits, family, or probate matters, depending on the court
- Ruling on evidence, motions, and sentences
- Applying state law and court procedure fairly in every case
Affected Areas: Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Civil Rights, Impartiality, Legal Competence
Candidates
Anthony (A.J.) Bayne
Nonpartisan · declared
Anthony (A.J.) Bayne is a Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender running for Superior Court Judge, Office No. 87. Licensed in California since 1994, he has practiced law for more than 30 years, including over 25 years in the county Public Defender's Office — 19 of them at the Compton Courthouse — and has tried more than 100 jury trials including serious felony cases. He was the only Office 87 candidate rated "Well Qualified" by the Los Angeles County Bar Association for 2026. He led the June primary with 42.04% and faces attorney David DeJute in the November runoff.
Records: Legal Competence 1 for
David DeJute
Nonpartisan · declared
David DeJute is a Los Angeles attorney and law professor running for Superior Court Judge, Office No. 87. A Notre Dame and Harvard Law School graduate, he clerked for U.S. District Judge William J. Rea, served as an Assistant United States Attorney representing federal agencies, was Vice President of Litigation at Sony Pictures, and now practices at Michelman & Robinson while teaching at Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law, where he directs the Disaster Relief Clinic. The Los Angeles County Bar Association rated him "Qualified" for 2026. He advanced to the November runoff with 31.30% in the June primary against Deputy Public Defender Anthony (A.J.) Bayne.
Records: Legal Competence 2 for
Election sources
Source: results.lavote.gov
Source: laist.com