2026 Bencher Election: Polls Open April 21 – May 5

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Twenty-five candidates put their names forward for the 2026 Bencher Election. Three candidates have been elected by acclamation. On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, there will be an election in the City of Winnipeg and Northern Electoral Districts, for the eight remaining bencher vacancies. To learn more, view the candidate profiles for your 2026 Bencher Nominees.

Online voting polls are now open. Eligible voters can cast their vote by logging into The Law Society of Manitoba member portal.

Voting Polls Close Tuesday, May 5  @ 5:00 p.m.

These candidates have been elected by acclamation in the following electoral districts.

  • Dauphin Central

    Kassy Baker

  • Eastern

    Mathieu Lafreniere

  • Western

    Trent Sholdice

For questions about the electoral process, please contact Alissa Schacter at aschacter@lawsociety.mb.ca.

Now Accepting Applications for Appointed Benchers

In addition to the 12 elected positions, there are four appointed lawyer positions available for the 2026-2028 term. If you are interested, please send your resume to Pat Bourbonnais at pbourbonnais@lawsociety.mb.ca by Monday, April 27, 2026.