State Supreme Courts: Retention Elections in PA, an Open Seat in WI, and Much More
State supreme court elections are usually overshadowed by presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections as well as high-profile ballot measures. But they can have a significant impact on public policy, including on social issues such as abortion and political matters such as redistricting.
Later this year, Pennsylvania voters will weigh in on whether three Democratic justices—the linchpin of the Democrats’ 5-2 court majority in the battleground state—should continue on the court.
Then, in 2026, 31 states are scheduled to hold elections, though this number could rise or fall before November 2026 depending on whether (and when) justices retire or die in office.
Unlike a number of closely watched state supreme court races in recent election cycles, only one of these contests, in Montana, has the potential to flip the ideological balance of a court. But a number of these elections could have an incremental impact on the ideological makeup of a supreme court and could serve as building blocks for future court takeovers in subsequent election cycles.
https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/state-supreme-courts-retention-elections-in-pa-an-open-seat-in-wi-and-much-more/