Cain and Wietzema were 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.
Christopher Cain and Christina M. Wietzema are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for this seat. 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.
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. The sitting officeholder, Christina M. Wietzema, is on the ballot.
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Minnesota › Cottonwood County › Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 5
This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races.
Reports are checked daily until Minnesota certifies on November 19; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.
Christopher Cain is a candidate for Minnesota Fifth Judicial District Court, Seat 5. He has practiced law for 30 years, serving as an Assistant County Attorney, Assistant City Attorney, Interim City Attorney and defense/family law attorney, per his campaign site. He has also served as an investigator and panel chair with the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board and as an adjunct law instructor, per the same source.
Judge Christina M. Wietzema was appointed to the Fifth Judicial District bench by Governor Mark Dayton in 2012 and was elected in 2014 and 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. She earned her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law and previously worked as an assistant public defender in the Fifth Judicial District. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Who is running for Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 5 in 2026?
2 candidates were tracked for Judge, Minnesota 5th Judicial District Court, Seat 5 in the November 3, 2026 runoff: Christopher Cain and Christina M. Wietzema. 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 5 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 5 race?
Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; Minnesota certifies on November 19. We do not call races.
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.
19 tracked races in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.