7 candidates are on the ballot. One ballot can carry several appellate seats, and the note below sets out which contest is which. For each judge: the record, any official performance evaluation, and the arguments published for and against them.
Alabama elects its appellate judges in partisan elections, and every voter in the state votes on all six appellate seats on the November 3, 2026 ballot. In ballot order by court and place: Alabama Supreme Court — Place 7, Brad Mendheim (R, incumbent), unopposed; Place 8, Greg Shaw (R, incumbent) against AshLeigh Dunham (D), a court referee in Jefferson County’s juvenile court. This is the only contested appellate race in the state. Alabama Court of Civil Appeals — Place 4, Ben Bowden (R, incumbent), unopposed; Place 5, Matt Fridy (R, incumbent), unopposed. Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 4, Mary Windom (R, incumbent), unopposed; Place 5, Riggs Walker (R), unopposed, running for the seat Judge Beth Kellum vacated when she withdrew from the race; Walker is a former Jefferson County deputy district attorney and the only non-incumbent Republican nominee. Every appellate seat in Alabama is currently held by a Republican. Roster from the Alabama Secretary of State’s primary results and candidate filings; fundraising figures are from Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act reports as of May 18, 2026. Note for anyone comparing this with an earlier version of this page: the two Alabama Supreme Court races were previously missing from it.
7 candidates · ballot order · Brad Mendheim currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Continuity on the Alabama Supreme Court.
Applying Alabama statutes as the legislature wrote them.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Justice, Alabama Supreme Court, Place 7, since 2018 (appointed 2018, elected 2019).
Unopposed in the 2026 Republican primary and unopposed in the general election.
Reported raising $49,824 with $39,995 on hand as of May 18, 2026, per Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act filings.
Endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Forestry Association, Alabama Realtors PAC, the Business Council of Alabama, Electric Cooperatives of Alabama and Manufacture Alabama.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
The race is uncontested and no organised campaign for or against Mendheim was found. Searched: the Alabama Political Reporter, AL.com, the Montgomery Advertiser, the Alabama Democratic Party and the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission.
Alabama has no official judicial performance evaluation commission and no Alabama State Bar rating of 2026 candidates was found.
No campaign website was located and no analysis of his published opinions was found.
Continuity on the Alabama Supreme Court after seventeen years of service.
A conservative judicial approach, as described in commentary supporting his candidacy.
Applying Alabama statutes as the legislature wrote them.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Justice, Alabama Supreme Court, Place 8, since 2009.
Judge of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals before his election to the Supreme Court.
Unopposed in the 2026 Republican primary.
Reported raising $25,500 plus $3,500 in other receipts, with $25,150 on hand, as of May 18, 2026, per Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act filings.
Endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Forestry Association, Alabama Realtors PAC, the Business Council of Alabama, Electric Cooperatives of Alabama and Manufacture Alabama.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Shaw by name was found, including from his opponent’s campaign. Searched: the Alabama Political Reporter, AL.com, the Montgomery Advertiser, Alabama Reflector, the Alabama Democratic Party and the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission. Both argument columns are left empty rather than filling one.
Alabama has no official judicial performance evaluation commission and no Alabama State Bar rating of 2026 candidates was found.
No campaign website was located and no analysis of his published opinions was found.
Juvenile and family court experience as a perspective the Supreme Court lacks.
A court with more than one point of view on it.
Access to the courts for Alabamians without resources.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Court referee, Jefferson County Juvenile Court.
Democratic nominee for Alabama Supreme Court Place 8 in 2026.
Endorsed by Alabama state representative Laura Hall of the 19th district.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Dunham by name was found, and no further endorsements or fundraising figures were located. Searched: the Alabama Political Reporter, AL.com, the Montgomery Advertiser, Alabama Reflector, the Alabama Republican Party and Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act filings.
Dunham has no record as a judge of a court of record, so there are no published opinions to describe.
No campaign website was located.
Alabama has no official judicial performance evaluation commission.
Applying Alabama statutes as the legislature wrote them.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Judge, Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, Place 4.
Unopposed in the 2026 Republican primary and unopposed in the general election.
Reported raising $20,292 plus $4,945 in other receipts, with $13,830 on hand, as of May 18, 2026, per Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act filings.
Endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Forestry Association, Alabama Realtors PAC, the Business Council of Alabama, Electric Cooperatives of Alabama and Manufacture Alabama.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
The race is uncontested and no organised campaign for or against Bowden was found. Searched: the Alabama Political Reporter, AL.com, the Montgomery Advertiser and the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission.
Alabama has no official judicial performance evaluation commission and no Alabama State Bar rating of 2026 candidates was found.
No campaign website was located and no analysis of his published opinions was found.
Applying Alabama statutes as the legislature wrote them.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Judge, Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, Place 5.
Former member of the Alabama House of Representatives.
Unopposed in the 2026 Republican primary and unopposed in the general election.
Reported raising $135,951 with $64,234 on hand as of May 18, 2026 — the largest total of any Alabama appellate candidate this cycle — per Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act filings.
Endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Forestry Association, Alabama Realtors PAC, the Business Council of Alabama, Electric Cooperatives of Alabama and Manufacture Alabama.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
The race is uncontested and no organised campaign for or against Fridy was found. Searched: the Alabama Political Reporter, AL.com, the Montgomery Advertiser and the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission.
Alabama has no official judicial performance evaluation commission and no Alabama State Bar rating of 2026 candidates was found.
No campaign website was located and no analysis of his published opinions was found.
Applying the Alabama criminal code as the legislature wrote it.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Judge, Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4; has served as presiding judge of the court.
Unopposed in the 2026 Republican primary and unopposed in the general election.
Endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Forestry Association, Alabama Realtors PAC, the Business Council of Alabama, Electric Cooperatives of Alabama and Manufacture Alabama.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
The race is uncontested and no organised campaign for or against Windom was found. Searched: the Alabama Political Reporter, AL.com, the Montgomery Advertiser and the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission.
Alabama has no official judicial performance evaluation commission and no Alabama State Bar rating of 2026 candidates was found.
No campaign website or fundraising figure was located, and no analysis of her published opinions was found.
Prosecutorial experience as preparation for the state’s criminal appeals court.
Applying the Alabama criminal code as the legislature wrote it.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Former deputy district attorney, Jefferson County, Alabama.
Candidate for Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4 in 2018.
Republican nominee for Place 5 in 2026; the incumbent, Judge Beth Kellum, withdrew from the race.
Reported raising $14,925 plus $5,455 in other receipts, with $14,877 on hand, as of May 18, 2026, per Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act filings.
Endorsed by Alabama Realtors PAC. The business and agriculture groups that endorsed the other appellate candidates had endorsed Kellum before she withdrew.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
The race is uncontested and no published criticism of Walker by name was found. Searched: the Alabama Political Reporter, AL.com, the Montgomery Advertiser, Alabama Reflector and the Alabama Democratic Party.
Why Judge Kellum withdrew from the race could not be established.
Walker has no judicial record, so there are no opinions to describe.
No campaign website was located, and Alabama has no official judicial performance evaluation commission.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Alabama ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.