Louisiana Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The terms of two Louisiana Supreme Court justices will expire on December 31, 2026, and a special election was called after William J. Crain vacated his seat. All three seats are up for partisan election in 2026. A primary is scheduled for May 16, 2026. A second primary election, if necessary, is scheduled for June 27, 2026. A general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026. The filing deadline is February 13, 2026. Contests for Districts 3 and 4 are regularly scheduled elections, whereas the contest for District 1 is a special election.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for partisan 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 1
Beginning in the 2026 elections, Louisiana elections for U.S. Congress, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Public Service Commission, and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education use a closed partisan primary and primary runoff system. Candidates for those offices no longer run in majority-vote system primaries.
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
District 3
Beginning in the 2026 elections, Louisiana elections for U.S. Congress, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Public Service Commission, and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education use a closed partisan primary and primary runoff system. Candidates for those offices no longer run in majority-vote system primaries.
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
District 4
Beginning in the 2026 elections, Louisiana elections for U.S. Congress, the Louisiana Supreme Court, the Public Service Commission, and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education use a closed partisan primary and primary runoff system. Candidates for those offices no longer run in majority-vote system primaries.
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Judges not on the ballot
- William J. Crain (District 1)
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Louisiana
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
About the Louisiana Supreme Court
- See also: Louisiana Supreme Court
The Louisiana Supreme Court is the highest court in Louisiana. There are seven justices on the court, each elected to ten-year terms. They compete in partisan elections.
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Allison H. Penzato | Appointed in 2025 | |
| ■ John Guidry | Elected in 2025 | |
| ■ Jay B. McCallum | Elected in 2020 | |
| ■ Jefferson Hughes | Elected in 2012 | |
| ■ John L. Weimer | Elected in 2001 | |
| ■ Piper Griffin | Elected in 2020 | |
| ■ Cade Cole | Elected in 2025 |
Selection
The seven justices on the Louisiana Supreme Court are selected through partisan elections. Justices are elected to 10-year terms, and must face re-election if they wish to serve again.[1]
Unlike most states, supreme court justices in Louisiana are elected to represent specific districts. The seven justices are divided evenly among seven supreme court districts (not to be confused with the 42 divisions of the district courts) and are voted into office by the residents of their respective regions.[2] Only the states of Illinois, Kentucky, and Mississippi use a similar system.
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
- licensed to practice law in the state for at least ten years;
- a resident of the district representing 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 term expires)[1][3]
Chief justice
The chief justice is the justice on the court with the most seniority. When he or she retires, the justice with the next most seniority becomes chief justice.[1]
Vacancies
Per Article V of the Louisiana Constitution, midterm vacancies are to be temporarily filled by the remaining members of the supreme court. Within one year of the opening, a special election (called by the governor, preferably on the date of a preexisting gubernatorial or congressional election) is to be held. If the supreme court has appointed a successor, that appointee may not run for the seat in the special election.[1][4] The justice elected at the special election will serve the remainder of the unexpired term.[5][6]
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 1.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Louisiana; Selection of Judges," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Louisiana Supreme Court, "Maps of Judicial Districts," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ NOLA.com, "Lawmakers fail to pass amendment eliminating mandatory retirement age of judges," archived March 9, 2016
- ↑ Louisiana Supreme Court, "Henry Julien v. The Honorable W. Fox McKeithan," accessed May 6, 2014
- ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes "RS 13:101.1," accessed July 13, 2016
- ↑ Leagle, "Marcelle v. DeCuir," September 21, 1995
Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana
State courts:
Louisiana Supreme Court • Louisiana Courts of Appeal • Louisiana District Courts • Louisiana City Courts • Louisiana Family Courts • Louisiana Justice of the Peace Courts • Louisiana Juvenile Courts • Louisiana Mayor’s Courts • Louisiana Municipal Courts • Louisiana Parish Courts • Louisiana Traffic Courts
State resources:
Courts in Louisiana • Louisiana judicial elections • Judicial selection in Louisiana
