Courts · November 3, 2026

Court of Appeals · District 1 · Partial term

What this office does

The Court of Appeals checks lower-court decisions for legal mistakes, usually using the existing case record rather than holding a new trial. Its rulings can uphold, reverse or send a case back for further proceedings.

Michigan · Judicial Branch

1 listed candidate · Vote for no more than 1

Term ends January 1, 2031 · Incumbent position

Canton Precinct 8 sample ballot · PDF page 1 · Names and voting limits follow this sample.

Why a partial term?

This election fills the remainder of the seat vacated by Judge Kirsten Frank Kelly’s resignation; Andrew Lievense was appointed to fill the vacancy until the election.

Governor’s office · Lievense appointment

Uncontested on the supplied printed ballot

The number of listed candidates equals the number of seats. This does not rule out qualified write-ins. These are brief background profiles, not endorsements.

You may leave any race blank; your votes in other races still count. University of Michigan · ballot basics

How to read judicial records

Research reviewed October 12, 2026. We have not verified a 2026 bar poll or evaluation for the candidates below. Dated historical evaluations are identified separately; an unverified rating is not a negative rating.

The Detroit Bar’s Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee assesses qualifications. Its evaluations are not a poll of all lawyers or a party endorsement. A “No Rating/Did Not Participate” entry does not establish that a candidate is unqualified.

Opinion examples illustrate specific reasoning, not a complete record or ranking. We distinguish authorship, joining an opinion, and dissent. Trial-court rulings are not uniformly published; a missing example is a research gap, not a judgment about experience.

Detroit Bar · evaluation process and current information

See this race’s local club endorsements ↓

Nonpartisan

Andrew J. Lievense

Background

Appointed in 2026 after serving as an assistant U.S. attorney, litigation associate and federal judicial law clerk. University of Michigan law graduate.

Judicial record

Appointment or election history: Appointed by Governor Whitmer in 2026 to fill the Court of Appeals vacancy following Kirsten Frank Kelly’s resignation.
Governor’s appointment announcement · March 18, 2026
Bar evaluation: A current rating has not yet been verified. See the research note above.
Opinion example: No individual written-opinion example has yet been reviewed for this candidate.

Sources

Governor’s office · Andrew Lievense appointment, March 18, 2026
Official appointment · The initial appointment ends in 2027; the separate election contest on the supplied ballot is for the remaining term ending in 2031.

VOTE411 · Andrew J. Lievense
Candidate questionnaire · No questionnaire responses on the reviewed page; incumbent status comes from the supplied ballot.

Reviewed October 1, 2026.

Office and ballot references: Michigan · Judicial Branch.

Source directory for this office

Local club endorsements

Published club choices, not GuruG recommendations or professional ratings. “Not listed” does not mean opposed.

Canton Democratic Club: Not listed in the reviewed guide.

Plymouth Canton Republicans Club: Not listed in the reviewed guide.

Club sources reviewed October 6, 2026; follow the linked source pages for updates.