Are judges in elected positions or appointed positions?

In practice, they are appointed (not elected).

Superior Court judges serve six-year terms. Once their term is up, judges who are unchallenged and wish to remain in their seats are automatically reelected and don’t appear on the ballot. If a judge retires, dies, or leaves their position during their term, the vacant seat is filled through the Commission of Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE Commission) and placed into office by the governor. California judges have rigged the system so that most of them retire or leave office in a year where their replacement will be made by the governor and not elected into office.

However, this upcoming election there are three candidates who are unapposed and five candidates running for two open positions in Los Angeles County.