Ballotpedia indicates that voters in 33 states and Guam will decide on 82 state Supreme Court seats in 2024. Of those, 18 are political, 34 are nonpartisan, and 30 are retention elections. This means that voters will decide whether a justice who is normally appointed by a governor will continue to serve on the state’s high court instead of choosing between two candidates. On the November ballot, some candidates are running unopposed, while others have already been decided.
In crucial battleground states like Arizona, Michigan, and North Carolina, where voter turnout is likely to be strong for the presidential election, some of these judicial fights are taking place.
Former Michigan assistant attorney general David Porter stated, “You’ve seen an increased role for state courts across the nation as the federal Supreme Court is tearing back the role of the federal court.”
Two Supreme Court seats are up for grabs in Michigan, where Democrats control a 4-3 majority on the state’s highest court. State parties support a candidate even though elections are nonpartisan.
