There are relatively few judicial elections in 2026 compared with presidential election years. The following is a list of those elections, all of which are for circuit judge positions. Judges appointed by Governor Parson are identified as such. Although Governor Parson was a pro-life governor, his appointment of a judge does not necessarily reflect that judge’s views on life issues. Elected judges are identified as well. If a judge has previously ruled on a life-related issue, a brief description of that ruling is provided.
Note: The Race for Circuit 19 Division 3 Circuit Judge is the only race contested.
Circuit Judge - Circuit 11 Division 1
Republican
Brittney R. Smith, appointed by Gov. Parson
Unopposed
Circuit Judge - Circuit 26 Division 3
Republican
Aaron Koeppen, elected
Unopposed
Circuit Judge - Circuit 13 Division 4
Republican
Josh Devine, elected
Unopposed
Circuit Judge - Circuit 32 Division 1
Republican
Scott A. Lipke, appointed Gov. by Parson
Unopposed
Circuit Judge - Circuit 19 Division 2
Republican
Daniel Green, elected; ruled against life issues; frequently sides with the anti-life position.
Unopposed
Circuit Judge - Circuit 42 Division 2
Republican
Michael Randazzo, elected
Unopposed
Circuit Judge - Circuit 23 Division 2
Republican
*Edward L. Page, appointed by Gov. Parson
Unopposed *withdrew from race
Circuit Judge - Circuit 36
Republican
Kacey L. Proctor, appointed by Gov. Parson
Unopposed
Circuit Judge - Circuit 19 Division 3
Republican
Cotton Walker, elected; wrote erroneous ballot language for Amendment 3 (2024). More information is provided below.
Republican
Jeff Suddy, Candidate
Public Records Show
On September 5, 2024, Cole County Judge Cotton Walker rewrote the ballot language for Amendment 3 (2024) that was to be posted at the polling places for the November 2024 election.
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft wrote a fair ballot language statement to inform the voters that the 2024 pro-abortion amendment, if passed, would “prohibit any regulation of abortion, including regulations designed to protect women undergoing abortions…”¹
Judge Walker rewrote that language to tell voters that the 2024 Amendment 3 “allows regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient.” The official ballot language subsequently adopted Judge Walker’s language with one grammatical change, changing “allows”
to “allow.”²
Judge Walker’s ballot language was false, and a Jackson County Circuit Judge entered preliminary orders invalidating almost all of Missouri’s abortion health and safety regulations shortly after the November 2024 election and entered her final order invalidating those regulations on June 18, 2026. Unfortunately, when the voters went to the polls in November 2024 and approved the pro-abortion amendment, they were relying on Judge Walker’s inaccurate ballot language.
¹ Fitz-James v. Ashcroft, 2024 Mo. S. Ct. (2024).
² Fitz-James v. Ashcroft, 2024 Cir. Ct. Cole County, Mo. (2024).
Paid for by the Missouri Right to Life Political Action Committee Patricia Skain, Treasurer
