Florida Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The term of one Florida Supreme Court justice will expire on January 5, 2027. The one seat is up for retention election on November 3, 2026. The filing deadline is April 24, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for retention election in 2026 in order to remain on the bench. Justices may choose not to stand for election. The list is subject to change if justices retire or are appointed.
Candidates and results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
Carlos Muñiz's seat
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Florida
About the Florida Supreme Court
- See also: Florida Supreme Court
There are seven justices on the Florida Supreme Court. Justices are selected using the assisted appointment method, where the Governor of Florida chooses from a list of three to six candidates recommended by a commission on judicial appointments. Justices serve six-year terms. The appointment of a justice must be confirmed by a retention vote in the next general election at least one year after taking office.[1]
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Charles Canady | Appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in 2008 | |
| ■ Jorge Labarga | Appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in 2009 | |
| ■ Carlos Muñiz | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2019 | |
| ■ John Daniel Couriel | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) 2020 | |
| ■ Jamie Rutland Grosshans | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2020 | |
| ■ Renatha Francis | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2020 | |
| ■ Meredith Sasso | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2023 |
Selection
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.[2] The commission submits a list of three to six nominees to the governor, and the governor must then appoint a judge from the list.[3]
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.[3] 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.[4]
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.[3]
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.[3]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Supreme Court Overview
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Florida; Judicial Nominating Commissions," archived January 13, 2012
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 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
