Minnesota Supreme Court elections, 2026
 |
U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • Lt. Gov • Attorney General • Secretary of State • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Supreme court • Appellate courts • How to run for office |
 |
| 2026 State Judicial Elections | |
|---|---|
2027 »
« 2025
| |
 | |
| Overview | |
| Supreme Courts Overview | |
| Appellate Courts Overview | |
| View judicial elections by state: | |
The terms of three Minnesota Supreme Court justices will expire on January 5, 2027. The three seats are up for nonpartisan election on November 3, 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.
■ Paul Thissen
■ Theodora Gaïtas
■ Sarah E. Hennesy
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
Seat 1
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Seat 2
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Seat 6
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 Minnesota
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
About the Minnesota Supreme Court
- See also: Minnesota Supreme Court
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the state of Minnesota. It consists of seven justices who are elected to the court in nonpartisan elections for six-year terms. The court sits in the supreme court's chamber located in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the Minnesota Judicial Center.[1]
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Natalie Hudson | Appointed by Gov. Tim Walz (D) in 2023 | |
| ■ Gordon Moore | Appointed by Gov. Tim Walz (D) in 2020 | |
| ■ Paul Thissen | Appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton (D) in 2018 | |
| ■ Anne K. McKeig | Appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton (D) in 2016 | |
| ■ Karl Procaccini | Appointed by Gov. Tim Walz (D) in 2023 | |
| ■ Sarah E. Hennesy | Appointed by Gov. Tim Walz (D) in 2024 | |
| ■ Theodora Gaïtas | Appointed by Gov. Tim Walz (D) in 2024 |
Selection
The seven judges of the Minnesota Supreme Court are chosen in nonpartisan general elections to six-year terms. Sitting judges must run for re-election if they wish to serve additional terms. While party affiliation is not designated on the ballot, incumbency is.[2]
Qualifications
Judges of the supreme court are required to be "learned in the law" and under 70 years old. Sitting judges who reach the age of 70 while in office are allowed to serve until the last day of that month.[2]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court is directly chosen by voters in a nonpartisan election. He or she serves in that capacity for a full six-year term.[2]
Vacancies
Interim vacancies on the supreme court are filled via gubernatorial appointment. After serving for at least one year, the appointed judge can run for a full term in the next general election.[2] Other candidates may file to run against them in the election.[3]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Minnesota Supreme Court," accessed December 18, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection," accessed September 4, 2021
- ↑ The Office of the Revisor of Statutes, "Constitution of the State of Minnesota," accessed August 8, 2016
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Minnesota • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Minnesota
State courts:
Minnesota Supreme Court • Minnesota Court of Appeals • Minnesota District Courts • Minnesota Problem-Solving Courts • Minnesota Tax Court • Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals
State resources:
Courts in Minnesota • Minnesota judicial elections • Judicial selection in Minnesota
| ||||||||||
