It’s the 12 Days of Ballotpedia! Your gift powers the trusted, unbiased information voters need heading into 2026. Donate now!
Florida Supreme Court elections
There are seven justices on the Florida Supreme Court. For more information about these elections, visit the Florida judicial elections page.
Judicial selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Florida
The seven justices of the Florida Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. A judicial nominating commission consisting of nine members who are appointed by the governor to four-year terms screens potential judicial candidates.[1] The commission submits a list of three to six nominees to the governor, and the governor must then appoint a judge from the list.[2]
Newly appointed judges serve for at least one year, after which they appear in a yes-no retention election held during the next general election. If retained, judges serve six-year terms.[2] Under the Florida constitution, a judge must retire at age 75; however, a judge who reaches 75 after serving at least half of his or her term may complete that term.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on the court, a judge must be:
- a qualified elector;
- a state resident;
- admitted to practice law in the state for 10 years before assuming the bench; and
- under the age of 75.
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is selected by peer vote. He or she serves in that capacity for two years.[2]
Vacancies
If a midterm vacancy occurs, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends three to six qualified candidates to the governor, and the governor selects a successor from that list. The new appointee serves for at least one year before running in a yes-no retention election.[2]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
Elections
See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2030
Renatha Francis' seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Meredith Sasso's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2028
Jorge Labarga's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Charles Canady's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
John Couriel's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Jamie Rutland Grosshans's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2026
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2024
Meredith Sasso's seat
Florida Supreme Court
Meredith Sasso was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 5, 2024 with 62.3% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 62.3 | 5,829,960 |
| No | 37.7 | 3,524,319 | |
| Total Votes | 9,354,279 |
 | The results have been certified. Source |
Renatha Francis' seat
Florida Supreme Court
Renatha Francis was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 5, 2024 with 63.1% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 63.1 | 5,967,833 |
| No | 36.9 | 3,483,119 | |
| Total Votes | 9,450,952 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2022
Polston's seat
Florida Supreme Court
Ricky Polston was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 63.0% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 63.0 | 4,240,078 |
| No | 37.0 | 2,486,947 | |
| Total Votes | 6,727,025 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
Canady's seat
Florida Supreme Court
Charles Canady was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 64.0% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 64.0 | 4,358,437 |
| No | 36.0 | 2,455,875 | |
| Total Votes | 6,814,312 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
Rutland Grosshans' seat
Florida Supreme Court
Jamie Rutland Grosshans was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 63.8% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 63.8 | 4,306,135 |
| No | 36.2 | 2,439,942 | |
| Total Votes | 6,746,077 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
Couriel's seat
Florida Supreme Court
John Daniel Couriel was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 63.7% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 63.7 | 4,305,014 |
| No | 36.3 | 2,457,705 | |
| Total Votes | 6,762,719 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
Labarga's seat
Florida Supreme Court
Jorge Labarga was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 62.3% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 62.3 | 4,197,872 |
| No | 37.7 | 2,535,034 | |
| Total Votes | 6,732,906 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2020
Florida Supreme Court
Carlos Muñiz was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 65.7% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 65.7 | 6,297,753 |
| No | 34.3 | 3,281,468 | |
| Total Votes | 9,579,221 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2018
Florida Supreme Court
C. Alan Lawson was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 6, 2018 with 71.4% of the vote.
Retention Vote | % | Votes | |
| ✔ | Yes | 71.4 | 5,044,890 |
| No | 28.6 | 2,016,482 | |
| Total Votes | 7,061,372 |
| The results have been certified. Source |
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Florida; Judicial Nominating Commissions," archived January 13, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial selection: Florida," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Florida Constitution, "Article V, Section 8," accessed September 10, 2021
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida
State courts:
Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court
State resources:
Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida
