The Ballot Brief
Cottonwood County, Minnesota

Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 2

Johnson was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Cottonwood County election filings. Certified results will appear here once the election office certifies the count. Minnesota certifies the general election by November 19, 2026; county canvasses are due November 11.

About this race

Kayla M. Johnson is the only name on the ballot for this seat; Minnesota prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected, so the race is on the November 3, 2026 ballot but is not contested. Minnesota's 5th Judicial District covers Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties; judges are elected at large across the whole district, so every voter there, not just voters in one county, votes on this seat. Minnesota judicial elections are nonpartisan and decided by plurality, with no runoff. Listed from the Secretary of State's certified general-election candidate table.

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Minnesota › Cottonwood County › Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 2

Who won? The official answer comes November 19.

Minnesota makes results final in three steps.
✓
Done · Nov 3
Votes were cast and counted
Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.
2
Happening now · by Nov 11
Cottonwood County double-checks its count
The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.
3
Next · Nov 19
Minnesota makes it official
The State Canvassing Board certifies the result. The winner appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 5, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races.

Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 2
No report found yet

Reports are checked daily until Minnesota certifies on November 19; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.

Kayla M. Johnson

Nonpartisan

Biography

Kayla M. Johnson was appointed to the bench in Minnesota's Fifth Judicial District by Governor Tim Walz in March 2025, per her former law firm's website. She was a founding partner of Smith & Johnson from 2015 to 2025, focusing on real estate law and estate planning, and is a graduate of Hamline University and its law school, per the same source.

Next on the ballotJudge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 5

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 2 in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 2 in the November 3, 2026 runoff: Kayla M. Johnson. Candidate information follows official Cottonwood County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 2 election in Minnesota?

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Certified results will appear on this page as the election office certifies them. Minnesota certifies the general election by November 19, 2026; county canvasses are due November 11. Voting rules for Minnesota are on the Minnesota election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Cottonwood County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Who won the Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 2 race?

Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; Minnesota certifies on November 19. We do not call races.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Cottonwood County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Minnesota election office, or see the full Cottonwood County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Cottonwood County ballot

19 tracked races in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on the November 3 ballot
Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 8Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 11Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 12See all 19 Cottonwood County races
Candidate profiles
Kayla M. Johnson, full profileOfficial Minnesota election office