The Ballot Brief
Carver County, Minnesota

Judge, Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court, Seat 27

One candidate is tracked for Judge, Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court, Seat 27, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Tanya Olympia O'Brien. Candidate information follows official Carver County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Tanya Olympia O'Brien 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 1st Judicial District covers Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, McLeod, Scott and Sibley 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.

Minnesota › Carver County › Judge, Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court, Seat 27

Tanya Olympia O'Brien

Nonpartisan

Biography

Tanya Olympia O'Brien is a judge of the Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court. Appointed to the Dakota County District Court by Governor Mark Dayton on April 9, 2018, and elected in 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Previously an assistant Ramsey County attorney and assistant Scott County attorney, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. No campaign website was found as of September 25, 2026.

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Judge, Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court, Seat 27 in 2026?

One candidate is tracked for Judge, Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court, Seat 27, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Tanya Olympia O'Brien. Candidate information follows official Carver County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Judge, Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court, Seat 27 election in Minnesota?

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

How do I see my exact Carver 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 Carver County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Carver County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Judge, Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court, Seat 36Carver County SheriffCarver County Commissioner District 2See all 27 Carver County races
Candidate profiles
Tanya Olympia O'Brien, full profileOfficial Minnesota election office