Missouri Supreme Court elections, 2026
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The term of one Missouri Supreme Court justice will expire on December 31, 2026. The one seat is up for retention election on November 3, 2026. The filing deadline is August 25, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand for retention 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
Paul Wilson's seat
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 Missouri
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
About the Missouri Supreme Court
- See also: Missouri Supreme Court
The Missouri Supreme Court is composed of seven judges who are appointed by the governor and then must stand for retention by voters thereafter. A full term on the court is 12 years. Retention elections take place during Missouri's general elections, which are held every two years in even-numbered years.
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■ Mary Rhodes Russell | Appointed by Gov. Bob Holden (D) in 2004 | |
| ■ Zel Fischer | Appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt (R) in 2008 | |
| ■ Paul Wilson | Appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon (D) in 2012 | |
| ■ Wesley Brent Powell | Appointed by Gov. Eric Greitens (R) in 2017 | |
| ■ Robin Ransom | Appointed by Gov. Mike Parson (R) 2021 | |
| ■ Kelly C. Broniec | Appointed by Gov. Mike Parson (R) in 2023 | |
| ■ Ginger Gooch | Appointed by Gov. Mike Parson (R) 2022 |
Selection
The seven justices of the Missouri Supreme Court are chosen through assisted appointment in which the governor selects a nominee from a list provided by a nominating commission. When a vacancy occurs, a list of potential candidates is compiled by the Missouri Appellate Judicial Commission and narrowed to three choices. From those three candidates, the governor appoints a new judge. After the newly appointed judge serves for at least one year, they must stand for retention in the next general election. If retained, they serve twelve-year terms.[1]
Qualifications
To serve on the supreme court, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen for at least 15 years;
- a qualified state voter for at least nine years;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- over the age of 30; and
- under the age of 70 (retirement at 70 is mandatory).[1]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court serves a two-year term and is elected by a peer vote.[1]
Vacancies
When a vacancy occurs, a list of potential candidates is compiled by the Missouri Appellate Judicial Commission and narrowed to three choices. From those three candidates, the governor appoints a new judge. After the newly appointed judge serves for at least one year, they must stand for retention in the next general election. If retained, they serve twelve-year terms.[1]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Missouri, Western District of Missouri • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Missouri, Western District of Missouri
State courts:
Missouri Supreme Court • Missouri Court of Appeals • Missouri Circuit Courts • Missouri Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Missouri • Missouri judicial elections • Judicial selection in Missouri
