Georgia Supreme Court elections, 2026
| 2026 State Judicial Elections | |
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2027» «2025 | |
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The terms of threeGeorgia Supreme Court justices will expire on December 31, 2026. The three seats are up fornonpartisan election on May 19, 2026. The filing deadline is March 6, 2026.
Judges with expiring terms
- This is a list of the justices who must stand fornonpartisan 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.
■Sarah Warren
■Charlie Bethel
■Ben Land
Candidates and results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia definesofficial 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
Charlie Bethel's seat
There are noofficial candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on May 19, 2026.
Sarah Warren's seat
There are noofficial candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on May 19, 2026.
Ben Land's seat
There are noofficial candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on May 19, 2026.
Voting information
- See also:Voting in Georgia
Election information inGeorgia: May 19, 2026, election.
What is the voter registration deadline?
- In-person: April 20, 2026
- By mail: Postmarked by April 20, 2026
- Online: April 20, 2026
Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?
What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?
- In-person: May 8, 2026
- By mail: Received by May 8, 2026
- Online: May 8, 2026
What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?
- In-person: May 19, 2026
- By mail: Received by May 19, 2026
Is early voting available to all voters?
What are the early voting start and end dates?
Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?
When are polls open on Election Day?
About the Georgia Supreme Court
- See also:Georgia Supreme Court
This 1983Georgia Constitution gives theGeorgia Supreme Court exclusive appellate jurisdiction over constitutional cases and election contest cases. The court also has general appellate jurisdiction over land title, will and equity cases, divorce and alimony cases, certified cases, death penalty cases, and writs of habeas corupus or certiorari. The court may also exercise jurisdiction overGeorgia Court of Appeals cases found to be of great public importance.[1]
Political composition
This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.
| ■Charlie Bethel | Appointed by Gov.Nathan Deal (R) in 2018, and elected in 2020 | |
| ■Verda Colvin | Appointed by Gov.Brian Kemp (R) in 2021, and elected in 2022 | |
| ■John Ellington | Elected in 2018, and re-elected in 2024 | |
| ■Shawn LaGrua | Appointed by Gov.Brian Kemp (R) in 2020, and elected in 2022 | |
| ■Carla W. McMillian | Appointed by Gov.Brian Kemp (R) in 2020, and elected in 2022 | |
| ■Nels Peterson | Appointed by Gov.Nathan Deal (R) in 2016, and elected in 2018 and 2024 | |
| ■Andrew Pinson | Appointed by Gov.Brian Kemp (R) in 2022, and elected in 2024 | |
| ■Sarah Warren | Appointed by Gov.Nathan Deal (R) in 2018, and elected in 2020 |
Selection
Thenine justices on theGeorgia Supreme Court are chosen by popular vote in nonpartisan elections. They serve six-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to retain their seats.[2]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
Chief justice
Thechief justice is selected by peer vote and serves in that capacity for four years.[2]
Vacancies
If a vacancy appears on the court, the position is filled byassisted appointment. The governor chooses an appointee from a list of qualified candidates compiled by the judicial nominating commission. As of March 2023, the judicial nominating commission consisted of 35 members, each appointed by the governor. For each court vacancy, the commission recommends candidates, but the governor is not bound to the commission's choices and may choose to appoint a judge not found on the list.[3] If appointed, an interim judge must run in the next general election held at least six months after the appointment, and, if confirmed by voters, he or she may finish the rest of the predecessor's term.[2][4][5]There is one current vacancy on theGeorgia Supreme Court, out of the court's 9 judicial positions.The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑Georgia Supreme Court Official Site
- ↑2.02.12.22.3American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Georgia," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Georgia; Judicial Nominating Commissions," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑Governor Brian Kemp, "Executive Order," accessed March 29, 2023
- ↑Governor Brian Kemp, "Gov. Kemp Names 35 to Judicial Nominating Commission," October 27, 2021
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court:Middle District of Georgia,Northern District of Georgia,Southern District of Georgia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court:Middle District of Georgia,Northern District of Georgia,Southern District of Georgia
State courts:
Georgia Supreme Court•Georgia Court of Appeals•Georgia Superior Courts•Georgia State Courts•Georgia Business Court•Georgia Tax Court•Georgia Juvenile Courts•Georgia Probate Courts•Georgia Magistrate Courts•Georgia Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Georgia •Georgia judicial elections •Judicial selection in Georgia
