One candidate is tracked for Judge, Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Court, Seat 17, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Christopher A Neisen. Candidate information follows official Dodge County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Christopher A Neisen 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 3rd Judicial District covers Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca and Winona 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, Christopher A Neisen, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.
Minnesota › Dodge County › Judge, Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Court, Seat 17
Nonpartisan Incumbent
Judge Christopher A Neisen was appointed to the Third Judicial District bench by Governor Mark Dayton on June 29, 2018, and was elected in 2020, per the Minnesota Judicial Branch. He earned his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and previously was managing partner at Wornson, Goggins, Neisen, Morris & Brever, P.C. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.
Who is running for Judge, Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Court, Seat 17 in 2026?
One candidate is tracked for Judge, Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Court, Seat 17, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Christopher A Neisen. Candidate information follows official Dodge County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the Judge, Minnesota 3rd Judicial District Court, Seat 17 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 Dodge 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.
Candidate roster from official Dodge 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 Dodge County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
13 tracked races in Dodge County, Minnesota. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.