Voters Protect State Courts in Key Races

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Zack Ford, Press Secretary
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C., November 4, 2026 — While most of the focus this election was on who will control Congress, several states took important votes on the makeup of their state supreme courts. Across the board, pro-democracy candidates won seats on these important courts. 

In Montana, voters elected Judge Amy Eddy to the Montana Supreme Court, preventing the bench from flipping to conservative control. Voters also approved CI-132, a constitutional amendment that would protect future judicial elections from involving partisan politics and ensuring the independence of Montana’s courts. 

In Michigan, voters retained Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh and Associate Justice Noah Hood to the Michigan Supreme Court. Both were appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party. They have been liberal stalwarts on the court and will maintain a liberal majority on that bench. 

In North Carolina, voters elected to keep Justice Anita Earls, a Democrat, on the North Carolina Supreme Court. Having served dutifully on the court for the past eight years, Earls is one of the court’s two liberals, and her election prevents conservatives from further entrenching themselves on a bench that has undermined democracy and fundamental rights in North Carolina in recent years. 

In Ohio, voters retained Justice Jennifer Brunner and elected Judge Marilyn Zayas, both Democrats, to the Ohio Supreme Court. This will be the second full term for Brunner, who has also sued to challenge a state law that requires judicial elections to be partisan. Zayas will become the first Hispanic person to serve on the Ohio Supreme Court. 

In addition to these key races, progressive nominees to state courts had impressive showings elsewhere, including in Texas and Washington. 

Tish Gotell Faulks, State Courts Director at Alliance for Justice Action Campaign, issued the following statement: 

“State courts continue to play a fundamental role in protecting our rights and freedoms, and voters did not forget that at the polls. In several states with key races, voters ensured their states’ highest courts were not infiltrated by partisan ideologues in robes and were protected from even more partisan influence. Because the U.S. Supreme Court has relinquished much of its responsibility to protect our rights, these elections are more important than ever. The amount spent in them continues to grow, but voters are stepping up to ensure their courts are not corrupted by outside influence and MAGA agendas. Alliance for Justice Action will continue to advocate and educate the public about state courts, and we now turn our eyes to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania in 2027.”