The Ballot Brief
Hennepin County, Minnesota

Judge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 35

West was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Hennepin 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

Sarah S. West 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 4th Judicial District covers Hennepin County; 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. The sitting officeholder, Sarah S. West, is on the ballot. 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 › Hennepin County › Judge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 35

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
Hennepin 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 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 35
No report found yet

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

Sarah S. West

NonpartisanIncumbent

Biography

Judge Sarah S. West was appointed to the Fourth Judicial District bench by Governor Mark Dayton on September 12, 2018, and was elected in 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. She earned her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and previously worked as an assistant public defender in the Fourth Judicial District Office of the Public Defender. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Next on the ballotJudge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 42

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Voting info and more

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Judge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 35 in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for Judge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 35 in the November 3, 2026 runoff: Sarah S. West. Candidate information follows official Hennepin County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Judge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 35 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 Hennepin 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 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 35 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 Hennepin County and state election office filings, last verified October 24, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Hennepin County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot
Judge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 43Judge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 47Judge, Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court, Seat 54See all 78 Hennepin County races
Candidate profiles
Sarah S. West, full profileOfficial Minnesota election office