Michigan Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The terms of two Michigan Supreme Court justices will expire on January 1, 2027. The two seats are up for nonpartisan election on November 3, 2026. The deadline for incumbents to file affidavits of candidacy is July 6, 2026. The filing deadline for non-incumbents without a party affiliation is July 16, 2026. In Michigan, Supreme Court candidates run in nonpartisan general elections but are nominated by political parties at their conventions.[1]
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
Megan Cavanagh's seat
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Michigan Supreme Court
Incumbent Megan Cavanagh is running in the general election for Michigan Supreme Court on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Megan Cavanagh (D) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Noah Hood's seat
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Michigan Supreme Court
Incumbent Noah Hood is running in the general election for Michigan Supreme Court on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Noah Hood (D) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Michigan
About the Michigan Supreme Court
- See also: Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Michigan. The court is located in the Michigan Hall of Justice in Lansing, the state capital. There are seven justices on the court, one being the chief justice. Justices are elected to eight-year terms or appointed by the governor in the case of a vacancy. Most commonly, the court takes appeals from the Michigan Court of Appeals. It is also responsible for the administration and supervision of all lower courts in the state.[2]
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Richard Bernstein | Elected in 2014 | |
| ■ Kyra Harris Bolden | Appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in 2022 | |
| ■ Megan Cavanagh | Elected in 2018 | |
| ■ Kimberly Thomas | Elected in 2024 | |
| ■ Elizabeth Welch | Elected in 2020 | |
| ■ Brian Zahra | Appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) in 2011 | |
| ■ Noah Hood | Appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in 2025 |
Selection
The seven justices of the Michigan Supreme Court are chosen by the Michigan method in which a partisan nomination is followed by nonpartisan elections.[3] Incumbent judges seeking re-election may file an affidavit of candidacy requesting to be placed on the ballot, while non-incumbent candidates must either file a nominating petition or obtain a partisan nomination at a party convention. Incumbency is noted on the ballot, though party affiliation is not. Judges serve eight-year terms and must be re-elected if they wish to remain on the court.[4]
Qualifications
To be elected to the supreme court, a judge must:
- be a qualified elector;
- be licensed to practice law in the state;
- have at least five years of law practice experience;
- be under the age of 70.[4]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the court is elected by his or her fellow justices and serves a two-year term[4]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a temporary replacement to serve until the next general election. At the governor's request, the state bar's standing committee on judicial qualifications interviews, evaluates, and rates all candidates, submitting a confidential report to the governor. However, the governor is not required to request candidates from the committee, nor is the governor bound by the committee's evaluations.[4]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Michigan.gov, "Filing for Office: Judicial Elective Offices," accessed January 6, 2026
- ↑ Michigan Courts, "About the Supreme Court," accessed October 29, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Michigan," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection," accessed August 27, 2021
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan
State courts:
Michigan Supreme Court • Michigan Court of Appeals • Michigan Circuit Court • Michigan Court of Claims • Michigan District Courts • Michigan Municipal Courts • Michigan Probate Courts
State resources:
Courts in Michigan • Michigan judicial elections • Judicial selection in Michigan
