Washtenaw County, Michigan

Judge of Probate Court (Non-Incumbent Position)

2 candidates are tracked for Judge of Probate Court (Non-Incumbent Position) on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Alethia Jean Battles and Jennifer Lawrence. Candidate information follows official Washtenaw County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Nonpartisan; two candidates for one non-incumbent seat on the November 3 ballot, per the Washtenaw County Clerk's candidate list. Jennifer Lawrence was endorsed at the Washtenaw County Democratic Party's August 2026 convention, 192 votes to Alethia Jean Battles's 174, per the Washtenaw County Democratic Party; both remain on the November ballot.

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.

Michigan › Washtenaw County › Judge of Probate Court (Non-Incumbent Position)

Alethia Jean Battles

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Leading with empathy, respect and fairness while upholding the rule of law
Grounding rulings in real-world understanding of vulnerable populations, including guardianship and estate cases
Timely, well-reasoned decisions that respect court efficiency and public trust

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Alethia Battles is an attorney specializing in probate law who is also a clinical social worker, with more than a decade of experience on probate matters across multiple counties in Michigan and Ohio, per her campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Jennifer Lawrence

Nonpartisan

Biography

Jennifer Lawrence was endorsed at the Washtenaw County Democratic Party's August 2026 convention for the open Probate Court seat, per the party's published results. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Jennifer Lawrence.

Next on your ballotJudge of District Court, 14A District (Incumbent Position)

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Judge of Probate Court (Non-Incumbent Position) in 2026?

When is the Judge of Probate Court (Non-Incumbent Position) election in Michigan?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Michigan are on the Michigan election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Washtenaw 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.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Washtenaw County and state election office filings, last verified October 1, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Washtenaw County ballot

36 tracked races in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Judge of District Court, 14B District (Incumbent Position)Judge of District Court, 15th District (Incumbent Position)Mayor of Ann Arbor See all 36 Washtenaw County races

Candidate profiles

Alethia Jean Battles, full profile Jennifer Lawrence, full profile Official Michigan election office