Kentucky Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The term of one Kentucky Supreme Court justice will expire on January 4, 2027. The one seat is up for nonpartisan election on November 3, 2026. A primary is scheduled for May 19, 2026. The filing deadline for this election is January 9, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for nonpartisan 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
District 3
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 Kentucky
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
About the Kentucky Supreme Court
- See also: Kentucky Supreme Court
The Kentucky Supreme Court is composed of seven justices who are elected in nonpartisan elections by voters. A full term on the court is eight years. Kentucky's nonpartisan judicial elections take place during its general elections. These are usually held in even-numbered years but can be held in odd-numbered years.
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Christopher Nickell | Elected in 2019 | |
| ■ Kelly Thompson | Elected in 2022 | |
| ■ Debra Hembree Lambert | Elected in 2018 | |
| ■ Angela McCormick Bisig | Elected in 2022 | |
| ■ Pamela R. Goodwine | Elected in 2024 | |
| ■ Michelle Keller | Appointed by Gov. Steve Beshear (D) in 2013 | |
| ■ Robert Conley | Elected in 2020 |
Selection
The seven justices of the Kentucky Supreme Court are elected to eight-year terms in nonpartisan elections. They must run for re-election if they wish to serve subsequent terms.[1]
Qualifications
To serve on the Kentucky Supreme Court, the judge must be:
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Chief justice
The chief justice of the court is chosen by peer vote. He or she serves in that capacity for four years.[1]
Vacancies
If a midterm vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a successor from a list of three names provided by the Kentucky Judicial Nominating Commission. If the term the appointee will fill expires at the next election, the appointment is for the remainder of the term. If the term does not expire at the next election and that election is more than three months away, the appointee must stand for election, and the election is for the remainder of the unexpired term. If the term does not expire at the next election, but the election is less than three months away, the appointee must stand for election in the election following the next. The election is for the remainder of the unexpired term, if any; if none of the term is left, the election is for a full term.[1]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection," accessed September 15, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Board of Elections, "Candidate Qualifications," accessed March 31, 2023
- ↑ Kentucky Legislature, "Kentucky Constitution, Section 122," accessed June 1, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky
State courts:
Kentucky Supreme Court • Kentucky Court of Appeals • Kentucky Circuit Courts • Kentucky District Courts • Kentucky Family Court
State resources:
Courts in Kentucky • Kentucky judicial elections • Judicial selection in Kentucky
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