Republicans, Democrats Win Two Western New York Seats
Cross-endorsed candidates took two Eighth Judicial District State Supreme Court seats, while a fourth seat remained too close to call.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Republican Robert N. Richardson and Democrat Michael L. Amodeo won two State Supreme Court seats in the Eighth Judicial District of Western New York. A fourth seat was still too close to call as of midnight on election night.
Why it matters
Cross-endorsements by party leaders typically predetermine judicial race outcomes, so the results show how party backing shapes who sits on the state's trial-level court. Four judges in the district reached the state's mandatory retirement age, opening the seats up for contest.
Richardson and Amodeo have won seats on the State Supreme Court, which carries 14-year terms at an annual salary of $237,300. Final certification of the fourth seat, where Joynt led Hickey by roughly 2,700 votes, remains pending.
The players
Robert N. Richardson
Richardson is a Republican candidate who was cross-endorsed for a State Supreme Court seat and received 21% of the vote.
Michael L. Amodeo
Amodeo is a Democratic candidate who was cross-endorsed for a State Supreme Court seat and received 19.6% of the vote.
Deanne M. Tripi
Tripi is an Erie County Family Court judge who received 12.6% of the vote and won the third seat.
Jonathan S. Hickey
Hickey is a Clarence Town Justice who received 11.64% of the vote and trailed Anne E. Joynt for the fourth seat.
The details
Michael L. Amodeo, a Democrat, and Robert N. Richardson, a Republican, were both cross-endorsed for their seats. Deanne M. Tripi, an Erie County Family Court judge, received 12.6% of the vote and will take the third seat. The parties cross-endorsed two candidates and left two other seats in the district open to contest.
Timeline
Election day for the contested races was November 3, 2026.
The article was published November 4, 2026, with the fourth seat still too close to call.
Legal Context
New York's State Supreme Court elections have long been shaped by cross-endorsements from Democratic and Republican party leaders, which typically decide outcomes before voters go to the polls. The Eighth Judicial District results follow that pattern, with two of the four contested seats filled by cross-endorsed candidates.
Residents of the Eighth Judicial District will see new judges take the bench on State Supreme Court, which handles major civil and criminal cases for the region. The outcome of the still-undecided fourth seat will determine which of the two remaining candidates joins the court.
The takeaway
Judicial races in New York are often settled by party cross-endorsements before election day, so voters have limited influence on who wins. Watch for certification of the fourth seat to see the final composition of the Eighth Judicial District bench.
Further reading
Explore more on the state's courts in Criminal Justice.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Buffalo News.
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