This week's question was, How many states hold elections to fill state supreme court vacancies?

You answered: 47
The correct answer is three.

The process for filling vacancies on state supreme courts varies among states. In most states, the governor appoints a replacement justice, either outright or with assistance from a nominating commission. This is different from the process in state legislatures, where half of states use elections to fill vacancies.

The most common reasons for a vacancy on a state supreme court include reaching the mandatory retirement age, retiring before the end of a term, death, or appointment to another office.

The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.

Thanks for your response!