October 27, 2020
When US Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia died in February 2016 — 269 days before the US election — Senate Republicans blocked then-President Obama from filling the vacancy, arguing that — ostensibly to respect the wishes of the voting public — the Supreme Court seat should be filled only after the next US president was elected some nine months later. That precedent has now been upended after President Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last month. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (who stalled the process in 2016) put the nomination to a vote and Barrett was confirmed to the highest court in the land just 8 days out from the US presidential election. Democrats are livid, calling the last-ditch process "illegitimate." But what has happened in the past when Supreme Court seats have opened up in election years? We take a look at the ten vacancies that occurred closest to the vote in past years.
From Your Site Articles
- Graphic Truth: Would America Elect a Socialist? - GZERO Media ›
- Affordable Care Act upheld by Supreme Court, and Republicans move on - GZERO Media ›
- January 6 committee partisan battle; SCOTUS rules on election reform - GZERO Media ›
- January 6 committee partisan battle; SCOTUS rules on election reform - GZERO Media ›
- SCOTUS confirmation hearings no longer serve a purpose - GZERO Media ›
- Biden’s promise to name a Black woman to SCOTUS isn’t unprecedented - GZERO Media ›
More For You
An employee works on the beverage production line to meet the Spring Festival market demand at Leyuan Health Technology (Huzhou) Co., Ltd. on January 27, 2026 in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province of China.
Photo by Wang Shucheng/VCG
For China, hitting its annual growth target is as much a political victory as an economic one. It is proof that Beijing can weather slowing global demand, a slumping housing sector, and mounting pressure from Washington.
Most Popular
Two Iranian motorcyclists stop in front of the burned East Tehran General Directorate of Tax Affairs headquarters in Tehran, Iran, on January 21, 2026.
Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto
30,000: The estimated death toll in Iran during the protests at the start of the year, per local health officials, underscoring the scale of the Islamic Republic’s crackdown on its own citizens.
The World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters is seen in Geneva, Switzerland, January 28, 2025.
REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Seventy-eight years after helping found the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States has formally withdrawn from the agency, following through on a pledge President Donald Trump made on his first day back in office.
Mastercard Economic Institute's Outlook 2026 explores the forces redefining global business. Tariffs, technology, and transformation define an adaptive economy for the year ahead. Expect moderate growth amid easing inflation, evolving fiscal policies, and rapid AI adoption, driving productivity. Digital transformation for SMEs and shifts in trade and consumer behavior will shape strategies worldwide. Stay ahead with insights to help navigate complexity and seize emerging opportunities. Learn more here.
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.