In 2024, 82 state supreme court seats were up for election. Incumbents ran for re-election in 70 races (85%). Incumbents won re-election in 62 races and lost in eight others. This figure marked the highest total number of losses in a single year since in 2008, and tied 2008 for the lowest total percentage of incumbents winning re-election (89%).
Since 2008, there have been 553 total incumbents in state supreme court elections. Of those, 514 have won re-election, a rate of 93%. Four years tie for the next-highest number of incumbent losses—six incumbents each lost in 2020, 2018, 2010, and 2008.
Among the 38 states that conduct elections for supreme court justices, 14 have seen incumbents lose elections from 2008-2024. In the other 24 states, incumbent supreme court justices won re-election 100% of the time from 2008-2024. The map below highlights each state by incumbent win rates since 2008.
The state with the lowest incumbent winrate has been North Carolina (44%), where nine incumbents have run in elections, winning four and losing five. The state with the highest number of incumbent losses is Ohio, with 7 losses across 19 elections.
Note: The data above do not factor in the 2024 election in North Carolina, which remains subject to legal challenges. That race features an incumbent, Alison Riggs (D), who won by 748 votes according to a hand recount. Her opponent, Jefferson Griffin (R), has filed challenges to ballots cast in the election.
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