Alabama Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The terms of three Alabama Supreme Court justices will expire on January 18, 2027. The three seats are up for partisan election on November 3, 2026. A primary is scheduled for May 19, 2026. A primary runoff is scheduled for June 16, 2026. The filing deadline was January 23, 2026.
Candidates and results
Greg Shaw's seat
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Alabama Supreme Court
Incumbent Greg Shaw and Ashleigh Meyer Dunham are running in the general election for Alabama Supreme Court on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Greg Shaw (R) | |
| Ashleigh Meyer Dunham (D) | ||
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Ashleigh Meyer Dunham advanced from the Democratic primary for Alabama Supreme Court.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Greg Shaw advanced from the Republican primary for Alabama Supreme Court.
Brad Mendheim's seat
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Alabama Supreme Court
Incumbent Brad Mendheim is running in the general election for Alabama Supreme Court on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Brad Mendheim (R) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Brad Mendheim advanced from the Republican primary for Alabama Supreme Court.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Alabama
Campaign finance
The section and tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.
Shaw seat
Mendheim seat
About the Alabama Supreme Court
- See also: Alabama Supreme Court
The Alabama Supreme Court is composed of nine justices who are elected in statewide partisan elections. A full term on the court is six years. Judicial elections take place during Alabama's general elections, which are held every two years in even-numbered years.
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Sarah Stewart | Elected in 2018.[1] | |
| ■ Tommy Bryan | Elected in 2012 | |
| ■ Greg Cook | Elected in 2022 | |
| ■ Chris McCool | Elected in 2024 | |
| ■ Brad Mendheim | Appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey (R) in 2018 | |
| ■ William Sellers | Appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey (R) in 2017 | |
| ■ Greg Shaw | Elected in 2008 | |
| ■ Kelli Wise | Elected in 2010 | |
| ■ Will Parker | Appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey (R) in 2025 |
Selection
The nine justices on the Alabama Supreme Court are selected through partisan elections for six-year terms. They appear on partisan election ballots statewide and face re-election if they wish to serve again.[2] For more information about these elections, visit the Alabama judicial elections page.
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
- licensed to practice law for at least 10 years;
- a state resident for at least one year;
- under the age of 70 at the time of election (judges who turn 70 in office may serve until their terms expire).[3][4]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the court is selected by popular vote, serving in that office for his or her full six-year term.[2][5]
Vacancies
Should a vacancy occur between regularly scheduled elections, which take place in November of even-numbered years, an interim justice is appointed by the governor. Any justice appointed in this fashion must then stand for election in the next general election occurring at least one year after taking office.[2][6]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Note: Stewart was elected to the Chief Justice position in 2024. Before this, she held an associate justice postiion.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Alabama Judicial System, "Qualification of Judges," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Judicial Retirement Laws, "Alabama: Mandatory Retirement Provisions Applicable Generally," accessed August 10, 2021
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Minimum Qualifications for Public Office," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Justia, "Article VI, Alabama Constitution - Section 152," accessed March 23, 2023
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Judicial Selection: An Interactive Map," accessed March 23, 2023
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama
State courts:
Alabama Supreme Court • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals • Alabama Circuit Courts • Alabama District Courts • Alabama Juvenile Courts • Alabama Municipal Courts • Alabama Probate Courts • Alabama Small Claims Courts
State resources:
Courts in Alabama • Alabama judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alabama
