Rebecca Waxse has won election to an open seat on Minnesota's 10th Judicial District Court, defeating fellow Stillwater attorney Ben Lacy in a race that was one of just a handful of contested judgeships on the state's ballot. Waxse took more than 50% of the vote to Lacy's 45%, securing a seat that covers Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties.
The result, reported Wednesday by the Pioneer Press, caps a campaign that both candidates had been building toward since advancing out of a crowded primary. Waxse, 48, runs her own practice, Waxse Law, and works part time as a public defender in the district, handling family law and criminal defense cases. Lacy, 38, serves as managing attorney for Tubman, an organization that provides legal and support services to people experiencing domestic violence, according to the Pioneer Press.
Both candidates live in Stillwater, and both built their careers in and around Washington County's courts before squaring off for the bench. Waxse began her legal career as a public defender in Anoka County, representing juveniles and handling child protection matters, then moved on to adult felony cases in Isanti County before continuing her work in Washington County in 2010, per the same account. Lacy clerked for Judge William Ekstrum and the Washington County Attorney's Office, later working as an assistant Washington County attorney before joining Tubman.
A Rare Contested Race
Openings on Minnesota's district court benches rarely reach voters at all. Minnesota judges are usually appointed, with governors filling mid-term vacancies caused by a judge's retirement, resignation or death, the Pioneer Press reports. That pattern held for the seat Waxse just won: Judge Greg Galler, who was appointed by then-Gov. Jesse Ventura and was later elected to the six-year judicial seat four times, did not seek reelection and plans to finish out his current term, according to the outlet's report.
That departure made this one of only three contested judicial races out of 122 on Minnesota's ballot this election cycle, according to MPR News, which noted that contested judicial races tend to be uncommon in the state because most openings come about through a judge's retirement rather than an election fight. MPR's own account of the race described it differently, characterizing incumbent Judge Galler as being contested by Lacy and Waxse rather than describing the seat as open; the Pioneer Press reporting instead states plainly that Galler did not seek reelection. Either way, voters in the 10th Judicial District were electing a candidate to fill an open seat for only the third time in three decades, per the Pioneer Press.
Primary Momentum Carried Into November
Waxse and Lacy had already distinguished themselves from a third primary candidate, Mack Guptil, months earlier. With all 409 precincts reporting in that primary, Waxse collected 63,250 votes, Lacy took 50,353 and Guptil received 25,183, according to Woodbury News Net. Waxse told the outlet at the time that pulling 46% of the vote in a three-person primary and holding a 10-point lead over her nearest competitor were strong signals heading into the general election.
The outlet's report on the primary also noted that, according to the candidates' own campaign biographies, Waxse ran a private law practice while working part time as a public defender, language that lines up with how the Pioneer Press later described her background once the general-election result was in.
Waxse on What She'll Bring to the Bench
Asked about her qualifications in a Pioneer Press questionnaire, Waxse said she has represented thousands of clients and has extensive courtroom experience. She told the paper that judges should know and follow the law, listen carefully, make thoughtful decisions, and treat everyone with dignity and respect, adding that a judge's approach directly impacts public trust and respect for the law.
Waxse also said that if elected she would bring courtroom experience, legal knowledge and a commitment to fairness, integrity and respect to the role, and that she would approach every case with an open mind to ensure everyone received a fair process.
Results Still Await Certification
As with every statewide and federal contest on Tuesday's ballot, the outcome in the 10th Judicial District is not yet official. The Minnesota Secretary of State's election results site notes that results for state and federal offices remain unofficial until the Minnesota State Canvassing Board meets on Thursday, November 19, 2026, to certify them.
