# Montana Supreme Court Election Results 2026 Voters maintain the liberal majority on Montana's highest court despite recent conservative trends. - **Source:** [Ballotpedia News](https://news.ballotpedia.org) - **Published:** 2026-11-12 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/0942d161-1800-435b-904e-a60bc530a3a6 ## Election Outcome in Montana In the November 2026 nonpartisan general election, Amy Eddy secured a victory over Dan Wilson for a seat on the Montana Supreme Court. Eddy won the race by an 18-point margin, effectively succeeding outgoing Justice Beth Baker. This result ensures that the court's existing ideological composition remains stable for the immediate future. ## Candidates and Professional Backgrounds Both Amy Eddy and Dan Wilson currently serve as judges on Montana’s 11th District Court, which encompasses Flathead County. Eddy was initially appointed to her judicial position in 2015, while Wilson was elected to his seat in 2016. Before their judicial careers, both candidates practiced law as attorneys in the private sector. ## Ideological Shifts and Labels Although Montana Supreme Court elections are officially nonpartisan, ideological leanings played a significant role in the campaign. Amy Eddy has been described as part of the court's liberal bloc, while her opponent Dan Wilson explicitly identified himself as a conservative. Wilson received approximately 41% of the total vote in this specific contest. ## Historical Court Composition The Montana Supreme Court has maintained a 4-3 liberal majority since before Justice Beth Baker was first elected in 2010. Baker, who did not file for re-election in 2026, was a key member of this bloc. Despite the state's recent conservative political shift, voters chose to preserve this long-standing ideological balance on the bench. ## Statewide Political Context Montana has experienced a Republican trifecta in state government since 2021, signaling a broader conservative trend. Furthermore, the state has not elected a Democrat to a statewide office since 2018. This makes the retention of a liberal majority on the state's highest court a notable outlier in the current regional political climate. ## Future Electoral Cycles The current liberal majority on the Montana Supreme Court is guaranteed to remain in place for at least two more years. The next major test for the court's ideological makeup will occur during the 2028 election cycle. Two seats will be up for contention, currently held by Justices Jim Shea and Laurie McKinnon. ## Upcoming Judicial Decisions Justice Jim Shea is associated with the liberal bloc, while Justice Laurie McKinnon is part of the conservative bloc on the court. It remains unclear whether either justice will choose to seek re-election in 2028. Their decisions will determine if the court's ideological balance faces a significant challenge in the next cycle. ## Significance of Judicial Elections State supreme court elections serve as critical battlegrounds for interpreting state laws and constitutional issues. By maintaining the 4-3 liberal majority, Montana voters have ensured that the court's existing approach to legal interpretation continues. This outcome highlights the distinct separation between statewide partisan trends and the judicial branch's long-term ideological stability. ## Sources covering this story - https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/11/11/how-the-2026-elections-affected-state-supreme-courts-montana/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._