This table depicts by color state differences in methods of selecting appellate judges and classifies states by the length of the initial term in years served by appellate court judges. Initial appointments range in length from one year to a life appointment. States that use merit selection methods typically appoint judges on a meritocratic basis for a short period of initial service. Judges then face retention elections in which the public votes to retain or remove a judge. Merit selection is today the most common method of selection. As states consider judicial selection reform, some version of merit selection is often the reform of choice. Judicial election, both partisan and nonpartisan, is still widely used to select appellate judges. Texas elects all but municipal judges is partisan elections. Though federal judges appointed by the president subject to Senate confirmation, across the states legislative or executive appointment is the least common selection method.