How the 2026 Elections Affected State Supreme Courts: Montana – Ballotpedia News

by

In November 2026, Montana voters kept a 4-3 liberal majority on the state supreme court after Amy Eddy defeated Dan Wilson by 18 points in the nonpartisan general election.

Both hopefuls competed to replace departing Justice Beth Baker, who has been characterized by Bolts as belonging to the high court’s liberal faction. Baker first won her seat in a 2010 nonpartisan election and was retained in 2018, but she did not file for re-election in 2026.

Eddy won her race while her opponent, Republican-endorsed Wilson, garnered about 41% of the vote. Although Montana Supreme Court elections are officially nonpartisan, Wilson has described himself as a conservative, and Bolts has described Eddy as liberal.

Both candidates sit on Montana’s 11th District Court, which covers all of Flathead County in northern Montana. Eddy was initially appointed to her seat in 2015, and Wilson was elected to his in 2016. Both candidates previously worked as attorneys in private practice.

A Republican trifecta has been in place in Montana since 2021, and the state supreme court has maintained a 4-3 liberal majority dating back prior to Baker’s initial election in 2010. Even though the state has leaned increasingly conservative over the past few years—having last chosen a Democratic candidate for statewide office in 2018—the electorate preserved the progressive majority on the state’s highest judicial body.

The liberal majority will remain on the court for at least two more years. Two positions will appear on the ballot in 2028: Justice Jim Shea, associated with the liberal faction, and Justice Laurie McKinnon, representing the conservative faction.

Whether either jurist will run for another term remains uncertain, but the balance of power on the bench will be decided by the voters.

Worth a look

Read next