Lee County Court Judge Group 5
August 18, 2026 · Lee County, Florida · County · primary
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 · 20 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 817,666 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(2,738,356 ÷ 817,666) ÷ ln(2,738,356 ÷ 7,687) = 20.57, comparing counties in FL (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
Javier A. Pacheco
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Lee County Court judge appointed in July 2025 after more than two decades as a board-certified business-litigation attorney, seeking election to Group 5 in 2026.
Records: Civil Rights 1 for, Housing Affordability 1 for, Legal Competence 5 for
Michael Colombo
Nonpartisan · declared
Trial attorney with more than 25 years of courtroom experience, former prosecutor and Department of Homeland Security special agent, and 2026 candidate for Lee County Court Judge Group 5.
Records: Civil Rights 1 for, Legal Competence 3 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 3 for
Election sources
Source: lee.vote
Source: lee.vote
Source: floridabar.org