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Minnesota judicial elections, 2014
| Minnesota judicial elections, 2014 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Total candidates: | 148 |
| Primary candidates: | 132 |
| General election candidates: | 138 |
| Incumbency | |
| Incumbents: | 124 |
| Incumbent success rate: | 100% |
| Competition - general election | |
| Percent of candidates in contested races: | 16% |
| Percent uncontested: | 84% |
2015 →
← 2013
|
| Judicial Elections |
|---|
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| Judicial elections, 2014 |
| Judicial election dates |
| Candidates by state |
| Supreme court elections |
Last updated: November 2014
The Minnesota judicial elections in 2014 featured two supreme court races, as well as many district court elections. Many incumbent district judges ran unopposed, and every incumbent who did face a challenger was successful.
There were 148 judicial candidates in Minnesota in 2014. Only 16 candidates competed in three contested primaries, while another 116 were unopposed. In the general election, 22 candidates faced an opponent. In addition to the complete re-election of incumbent judges, the state gained three new judges from the three races where no incumbent ran. Justices Wilhelmina Wright and David Lillehaug were both re-elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
See Minnesota elections summary, 2014 for an overview of the state's election results.
Election dates
- June 3: Filing deadline
- August 12: Primary
- November 4: General election[1]
In addition to candidate lists, this page includes information about how the state's judicial elections work, as well as articles about noteworthy news in races across the state.
General election: Contested races
(I) denotes incumbent
Supreme Court, Seat 2
- John Hancock, 42.9%
- Wilhelmina Wright (I), 56.8%
Supreme Court, Seat 3
- David Lillehaug (I), 53.2%
- Michelle L. MacDonald, 46.5%
Fourth Judicial District, Seat 16
- Bruce Michael Rivers, 33.3%
- James A. Moore (Minnesota) (I), 66.2%
Fourth Judicial District, Seat 43
- Bridget Ann Sullivan, 60.9%
- Paul Scoggin, 38.6%
Fourth Judicial District, Seat 53
- Bev Benson, 63.9%
- Chris Ritts, 35.6%
Fourth Judicial District, Seat 61
- Amy Dawson, 53.8%
- Beverly J. Aho, 45.7%
Fifth Judicial District, Seat 5
- Christina Wietzema (I), 55.8%
- Nathan A. Busch, 44%
Seventh Judicial District, Seat 11
- Andrew Robert Pearson (I), 56.9%
- Richard D. Osburn, 42.9%
Seventh Judicial District, Seat 27
- Kenneth J. Kohler, 48.8%
- Steven Cahill (I), 51.1%
Tenth Judicial District, Seat 1
- Julie LaFleur, 44.3%
- Susan R. Miles (I), 55.5%
Tenth Judicial District, Seat 14
- Nancy J. Logering (I), 52.8%
- Stacy Lashinski, 47%
General election: Uncontested
The following candidates were elected or re-elected after running unopposed in the general election.
Appellate courts
| Court | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Click the arrows in the column headings to sort columns alphabetically. | |
| Court of Appeals | Carol A. Hooten |
| Court of Appeals | Edward J. Cleary |
| Court of Appeals | John P. Smith |
| Court of Appeals | John R. Rodenberg |
| Court of Appeals | Kevin Ross (Minnesota) |
| Court of Appeals | Margaret Chutich |
| Court of Appeals | Michael Kirk |
Trial courts
| Court | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Click the arrows in the column headings to sort columns alphabetically. | |
| Tenth Judicial District | Alan Pendleton |
| Seventh Judicial District | Ann Carrott |
| First Judicial District | Ann M. Offermann |
| Ninth Judicial District | Anne Rasmusson |
| Tenth Judicial District | B. William Ekstrum |
| Tenth Judicial District | Barry A. Sullivan |
| Tenth Judicial District | Catherine McPherson |
| Ninth Judicial District | Charles H. LeDuc |
| First Judicial District | Christian S. Wilton |
| Seventh Judicial District | Conrad Freeberg |
| Fourth Judicial District | Daniel Moreno |
| Seventh Judicial District | David Battey |
| Sixth Judicial District | David E. Ackerson |
| Ninth Judicial District | David F. Harrington |
| Ninth Judicial District | David J. Ten Eyck |
| Sixth Judicial District | David Johnson (Minnesota) |
| Eighth Judicial District | David Mennis |
| Tenth Judicial District | Douglas B. Meslow |
| Fifth Judicial District | Douglas L. Richards |
| Fourth Judicial District | Edward T. Wahl |
| Tenth Judicial District | Elizabeth H. Strand |
| Tenth Judicial District | Ellen L. Maas |
| Sixth Judicial District | Eric Hylden |
| Seventh Judicial District | Frank Kundrat |
| Seventh Judicial District | Fred Grunke |
| Seventh Judicial District | Galen Vaa |
| Sixth Judicial District | Gary J. Pagliaccetti |
| Fourth Judicial District | Gina M. Brandt |
| Fifth Judicial District | Gordon Moore |
| Tenth Judicial District | Gregory G. Galler |
| Fourth Judicial District | Herbert P. Lefler |
| Fourth Judicial District | Ivy Bernhardson |
| Third Judicial District | James A. Fabian |
| Tenth Judicial District | James T. Reuter |
| Fourth Judicial District | James T. Swenson |
| Ninth Judicial District | Jana Austad |
| Seventh Judicial District | Jay Carlson |
| Fourth Judicial District | Jay Quam |
| Fourth Judicial District | Jeannice M. Reding |
| Second Judicial District | Jeffrey M. Bryan |
| Ninth Judicial District | Jeffrey S. Remick |
| Eighth Judicial District | Jennifer Fischer |
| Third Judicial District | Jodi L. Williamson |
| Ninth Judicial District | John R. Solien |
| Tenth Judicial District | Jonathan N. Jasper |
| First Judicial District | Joseph T. Carter |
| Second Judicial District | Joy D. Bartscher |
| Third Judicial District | Karen Duncan |
| First Judicial District | Karen J. Asphaug |
| Fourth Judicial District | Kathleen D. Sheehy |
| Fourth Judicial District | Kathryn L. Quaintance |
| Fourth Judicial District | Kerry Meyer |
| Third Judicial District | Kevin A. Lund |
| First Judicial District | Kevin W. Eide |
| Ninth Judicial District | Korey Wahwassuck |
| Fourth Judicial District | Kristin Siegesmund |
| Ninth Judicial District | Kurt J. Marben |
| Third Judicial District | Larry Collins |
| Tenth Judicial District | Lawrence R. Johnson |
| Seventh Judicial District | Leonard A. Weiler |
| Second Judicial District | Leonardo Castro |
| Ninth Judicial District | Lois J. Lang |
| Fourth Judicial District | Luis Bartolomei |
| Fourth Judicial District | Margaret A. Daly |
| Second Judicial District | Margaret M. Marrinan |
| Seventh Judicial District | Mark Hansen |
| Fourth Judicial District | Martha Holton Dimick |
| Third Judicial District | Mary C. Leahy |
| First Judicial District | Mary J. Theisen |
| Third Judicial District | Matthew J. Opat |
| First Judicial District | Michael A. Fahey |
| First Judicial District | Michael D. Wentzell |
| Eighth Judicial District | Michael J. Thompson (Minnesota) |
| Seventh Judicial District | Michael Jesse |
| Seventh Judicial District | Michelle Winkis Lawson |
| Fourth Judicial District | Pamela G. Alexander |
| Second Judicial District | Patrick Diamond |
| Fifth Judicial District | Patrick Rohland |
| Fourth Judicial District | Peter A. Cahill |
| Fourth Judicial District | Philip D. Bush |
| Eighth Judicial District | Randall Slieter |
| Tenth Judicial District | Richard C. Ilkka |
| Fifth Judicial District | Robert A. Docherty |
| Ninth Judicial District | Robert D. Tiffany |
| Fifth Judicial District | Robert D. Walker |
| Sixth Judicial District | Robert E. Macaulay |
| Seventh Judicial District | Robert Raupp |
| Fourth Judicial District | Ronald Abrams |
| Sixth Judicial District | Sally Tarnowski |
| Seventh Judicial District | Sarah E. Hennesy |
| Second Judicial District | Shawn M. Bartsh |
| First Judicial District | Shawn M. Moynihan |
| Tenth Judicial District | Sheridan Keith Hawley |
| Eighth Judicial District | Stephanie Beckman |
| Seventh Judicial District | Steven Anderson |
| Tenth Judicial District | Stoney L. Hiljus |
| Fourth Judicial District | Susan Robiner |
| Ninth Judicial District | Tamara L. Yon |
| Tenth Judicial District | Tammi A. Fredrickson |
| Fourth Judicial District | Tanya Bransford |
| Fifth Judicial District | Terry Vajgrt |
| Tenth Judicial District | Thomas D. Hayes |
| Eighth Judicial District | Thomas Van Hon |
| First Judicial District | Thomas W. Bibus |
| First Judicial District | Thomas W. Pugh |
| Fifth Judicial District | Todd Westphal |
| Fourth Judicial District | Toddrick S. Barnette |
| Tenth Judicial District | Walter Kaminsky |
| Fourth Judicial District | William H. Koch |
Primary
For candidate lists and results from the judicial primary on August 12, 2014, please see: Minnesota judicial primary elections, 2014.
Process
Judges in Minnesota are elected to six-year terms in nonpartisan elections. In the primary, the two candidates (for each seat) who receive the greatest number of votes advance to the general election.[2]
Noteworthy events
The following articles were current as of the dates listed.
Minnesota Supreme Court candidate’s DWI arrest remains an issueJuly 31, 2014 | Click for story→ |
|---|---|
| See also: JP Election Brief: Attorneys weigh in on nonpartisan elections, Tennessee judges and conspiracy
A 2013 DWI arrest attracted media attention during the campaign of Michelle L. MacDonald, who ran against incumbent Justice David Lillehaug for the Minnesota Supreme Court. Some members of the Republican Party who had endorsed her said they were unaware of the arrest at the time.[3][4] Earlier coverage discussed how MacDonald and the party differed on whether the party knew about her court date when endorsing her. The state party later said it began distancing itself from her candidacy.[5][6] An email sent from what appeared to be the party's Judicial Election Committee asserted committee support and awareness of the arrest. Committee chair Doug Seaton said that the email was not official and that the committee dissolved post-convention, though it listed 17 members.[3] The GOP said it would change its endorsement process: its nominating committee, rather than a separate endorsement committee, would vet judicial candidates going forward.[4] MacDonald said the arrest was unfounded and part of retaliation related to her actions inside Dakota County’s judicial system.[5] | |
Minnesota GOP reportedly unaware of supreme court endorsee’s DWI arrestJune 19, 2014 | Click for story→ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| See also: JP Election Brief: Retention tension, a supreme court candidate on trial, and an election decided by coin toss
Although Minnesota judicial elections are officially nonpartisan, political parties can endorse candidates. In June 2014, the state GOP’s endorsement of Michelle L. MacDonald for the Minnesota Supreme Court drew media attention due to her 2013 DWI and resisting arrest charges.[7] Party Chairman Keith Downey said the arrest was not disclosed during the endorsement process and that delegates lacked full information at that time. He emphasized that MacDonald remained innocent until proven guilty.[7] MacDonald maintained she had informed the committee and secured strong backing after explaining the incident. She claimed she was not drinking, citing a police report that she refused testing and displayed behavior that could be interpreted as intoxicated, including referencing her legal background and resisting arrest.[7] Police reports detailed a stop in April 2013 after speeding, a noted “slight odor” of alcohol, and MacDonald’s refusal of sobriety tests. She allegedly resisted being removed from her vehicle. She later reportedly took a blood test the next morning, which returned negative.[7] The arrest occurred as she had filed formal complaints against several Dakota County judges, prompting her to allege the charges were retaliatory. MacDonald stated:
The GOP did not indicate whether it would withdraw its endorsement at that time.[7] UpdateMacDonald was acquitted of the DWI charge by a jury on September 17, 2014, but was found guilty of misdemeanor obstruction for refusing the blood test within the legally required window.[9] | |||||||
No more candidates allowed for Minnesota judge racesJune 5, 2014 | Click for story→ |
|---|---|
| June 3, 2014, was the filing deadline for judicial candidates in Minnesota. Candidates for both judicial offices and political offices were required to file by 5 p.m. Hundreds of candidates filed ahead of the deadline.[10] Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan. Candidates compete in a primary, if necessary, with the top two candidates advancing to the general election. Most races will not require a primary, so those candidates will only participate in the general election.[10] | |
Drive to abolish judicial races in MinnesotaMarch 20, 2014 | Click for story→ | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| See also: JP Election Brief: Controversy around judicial election laws
A group called the Coalition of Impartial Justice lobbied to change the way the voters of Minnesota pick the state’s judges. The bipartisan group began lobbying at the capitol in St. Paul on February 26, 2014. Its goal was to replace the system of political challenges to judicial seats with a retention system, a system used by the neighboring state of Iowa.[11] Under that system, judges would undergo an independent review and, based on their record, voters would vote whether or not to keep them in office. Supporters of the retention system pointed out that, while there would be no challengers, most judges currently run unopposed with little outside scrutiny. Supporters also cited the costs of running politicized campaigns during election season.[11][12] On March 12, a vote at the Subcommittee on Elections at the Minnesota Senate moved forward a proposal to amend the state constitution to mandate retention elections. The bill was sponsored by Senator Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope. The bill would then go to the Rules Committee and would need to be passed by the full legislature.[12] A supporter of the bill is former Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson. He argued to the Minnesota State Senate that partisan elections force judges to take issue positions. He said,
Subcommittee member Senator Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, spoke against the proposed system, which calls on a commission to evaluate judges and recommend replacements, after which the governor would appoint one. The new system would not allow for outside candidates to challenge a judge’s seat. Limmer expressed concerns it would impede the voters’ right to select judges. Limmer said,
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See also
- Minnesota Supreme Court elections, 2014
- Minnesota judicial elections
- Judicial selection in Minnesota
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Important General Election Dates"
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2014 Minnesota Election Statutes (.pdf)," accessed July 16, 2014 Scroll to page 165
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Minnesota Lawyer, "Supreme court candidate's advocates urge support," July 17, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Minnesota Lawyer, "GOP considering new candidate screening following Michelle MacDonald’s endorsement," July 21, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 JP Election Brief: Retention tension, a supreme court candidate on trial, and an election decided by coin toss
- ↑ Star Tribune, "The latest edition of the Michelle MacDonald saga," July 18, 2014
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Star Tribune, "Supreme Court endorsee's pending DWI case surprises the GOP," June 13, 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ TwinCities.com, "Court candidate Michelle MacDonald cleared of DWI, guilty of obstruction," September 17, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Daily Journal, "Last day arrives to file for office in Minnesota, 2 more days to back out of office," June 3, 2014
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Star Tribune, "Group pushes constitutional amendment to change Minn. judicial elections," February 26, 2014
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Star Tribune, "Judicial change moves ahead," March 12, 2014
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Star Tribune, “Judicial change moves ahead,” March 12, 2014, accessed March 18, 2014
- ↑ Star Tribune, “The right-wing litmus test, part two: Judges,” February 28, 2014
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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
