Filing for State Judicial Offices

Judicial seats on the Minnesota Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and ten District Courts appear on even year ballots. See About State Judicial Offices below for more information about the responsibilities of these positions. 

Judges are usually appointed to a seat at first and are up for reelection every six years thereafter. Prospective candidates should consult the Notice of Filing the Secretary of State publishes 16 weeks before the State Primary to learn which judicial seats will be on the ballot at the upcoming election. 

Qualifications

Candidates for state judicial offices must:

• be eligible to vote in Minnesota
• have not filed for another office at the upcoming primary or general election
• be at least 21 years old upon assuming office
• be a resident of Minnesota for at least one year before the general election
• be licensed to practice law in Minnesota

How to File

Candidates for any judicial office must submit the affidavit of candidacy and $300 filing fee from May 19, 2026 to June 2, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Candidates may file with the Secretary of State, or the county auditor of the county in which the candidate resides.

• Instead of paying the filing fee, candidates may submit a Petition in Place of Filing Fee. The petition requires at least 2,000 signatures if the office is voted on statewide, or at least 500 signatures if for the office of district judge.

Withdrawal

A candidate who has filed for office may remove their name from the ballot by filing an affidavit of withdrawal. Candidates may withdraw within the filing period, or by 5:00 p.m. within two days of the end of the filing period. The affidavit of withdrawal is filed with the same filing officer where the original affidavit of candidacy was filed.

Write-In Candidates

A write-in candidate for state judicial office must file a written request for their votes to be counted. This request must be filed with the filing officer not more than 84 days before the primary and no later than the 19th day before the general election.

About State Judicial Offices

Minnesota Supreme Court

7 justices that make final decisions on matters of state law that are binding on state and US federal courts. Generally, the state supreme court is used for hearing appeals of legal issues and does not hold trials.

Appeals Court

19 judges who oversee appeals and provide a prompt and deliberate review of all final decisions of the trial courts, state agencies, and local governments.

District Court

Almost three hundred judges around Minnesota oversee trials. They are appointed in one of 10 judicial districts, which each cover one or more counties.