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WA Supreme Court
2026 Elections
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2026 Washington State
Supreme Court Elections

Know your candidates before you vote.

Washington voters directly elect Supreme Court justices to 6-year terms. Five seats are on the 2026 ballot — an unusually large number of open races that will reshape the court for years to come.

Primary: August 4, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
9 Justices Total

The Washington Supreme Court has nine justices who serve as the final authority on state law.

6-Year Terms

Each justice serves a six-year term. Vacancies between elections are filled by gubernatorial appointment.

Nonpartisan Races

Supreme Court races are officially nonpartisan. Voters should evaluate candidates based on their legal qualifications, judicial experience, integrity, and commitment to applying the law fairly - not on perceived party affiliation.

August 4, 2026 Primary

2026 Primary Election Results

Current primary results as of 8/6/26. Election results are unofficial until certified by county election officials. These vote totals will be updated regularly.

Position 1
Melody52.62%
Edwards29.49%
Colberg17.65%
Position 3
Stevens35.24%
Hawk33.24%
Diaz31.20%
Position 5
Angelis35.59%
Larson32.25%
Amamilo21.22%
Miller10.72%
Position 7
Stephens54.45%
Bloom27.19%
Merchant11.79%
Shelvey6.32%

* Election results are unofficial until certified by county election officials. These vote totals are as of 8/6/26 and will be updated regularly.

2026 Ballot

The Races

Five Supreme Court seats are on the 2026 ballot. Four are open seats — the sitting justices resigned or are not seeking re-election. Position 7 features an incumbent seeking re-election.

Position 1Open Seat

Open Seat — Justice Yu resigned December 31, 2025

Colleen Melody

Colleen Melody

Appointed

Justice, Washington Supreme Court (Appointed January 2026)

  • Appointed in 2026 by Governor Ferguson to the Washington State Supreme Court
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
Laura Christensen Colberg

Laura Christensen Colberg

Challenger

Snohomish County Superior Court Commissioner pro tem

  • Became a Superior Court pro tem in 2008
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
Scott Edwards

Scott Edwards

Challenger

Attorney, Ballard Spahr, Seattle

View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
Position 3Open Seat

Open Seat — Justice Montoya-Lewis not seeking re-election

Mike Diaz

Mike Diaz

Challenger

Judge, Division I Court of Appeals

  • Appointed in 2018 by Governor Inslee to King County Superior Court
  • Appointed in 2022 by Governor Inslee to Division I of the Washington Court of Appeals
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
Jaime Hawk

Jaime Hawk

Challenger

King County Superior Court Judge

  • Appointed in 2022 by Governor Inslee to King County Superior Court
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
David Stevens

David Stevens

Challenger

Mason County Superior Court Judge

  • Elected to the Mason County Superior Court in 2024
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
Position 4Open Seat

Open Seat — Justice Johnson not seeking re-election

THIS POSITION WILL NOT BE ON THE PRIMARY BALLOT SINCE THERE ARE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES. THIS POSITION WILL APPEAR ON THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT.
Ian Birk

Ian Birk

Challenger

Judge, Division I Court of Appeals

  • Appointed in 2022 by Governor Inslee to Division I of the Washington Court of Appeals
Sean O'Donnell

Sean O'Donnell

Challenger

King County Superior Court Judge

  • Elected to the King County Superior Court in 2013
Position 5Open Seat

Open Seat — Justice Madsen resigned April 3, 2026

Theo Angelis

Theo Angelis

Appointed

Justice, Washington Supreme Court (Appointed April 2026)

  • Appointed in 2026 by Governor Ferguson to the Washington State Supreme Court
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
Dave Larson

Dave Larson

Challenger

Former Federal Way Municipal Court Judge

  • Appointed to the Federal Way Municipal Court in 2008
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
Sharonda Amamilo

Sharonda Amamilo

Challenger

Thurston County Superior Court Judge

  • Elected to the Thurston County Superior Court in 2020
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
Greg Miller

Greg Miller

Challenger

Attorney, Carney Badley Spellman, Seattle

View Voter Pamphlet Statement
The Center Square Interview
Position 7

Justice Debra Stephens seeking re-election

Debra Stephens

Debra Stephens

Incumbent

Chief Justice, Washington Supreme Court

  • Appointed in 2007 by Governor Gregoire to Division III of the Washington Court of Appeals
  • Appointed in 2008 by Governor Gregoire to the Washington State Supreme Court
View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
Todd Bloom

Todd Bloom

Challenger

Attorney, Todd A Bloom, PLLC

View Voter Pamphlet Statement
The Center Square Interview
Karim Merchant

Karim Merchant

Challenger

Attorney, K. Merchant Law, Renton

View Voter Pamphlet Statement
TVW Voter Guide
The Center Square Interview
David Shelvey

David Shelvey

Challenger

Attorney, Rockcraft, PLLC, Sumner

View Voter Pamphlet Statement
Important Deadlines

Key Dates

1
Ballots Mailed
July 18, 2026

Mail-in ballots sent to all registered voters

2
Primary Election
August 4, 2026

Top two candidates advance to the general election

3
Ballots Mailed
October 17, 2026

Mail-in ballots sent to all registered voters

4
General Election
November 3, 2026

Final election — winner serves a 6-year term

Voter Resources

This page is for educational purposes. Always verify information with official Washington State sources before voting.

Register to Vote

Register online, check your registration status, or update your address.

Register to Vote

Official Candidate Filings

View the official list of candidates who have filed for each race with the Secretary of State.

sos.wa.gov

Ballotpedia Supreme Court Campaign Financing Study

Analysis of Washington State Supreme Court candidate campaign finance and court case outcomes (2013–2022).

View Study

Full Court Press Judicial Scorecard

Full Court Press' first-of-its-kind comprehensive judicial scorecard examining key rulings issued by the State Supreme Court between 2020 and 2026.

View Scorecard
Educational Disclaimer: This page is an independent nonpartisan educational resource and is not affiliated with any campaign, political party, or government agency. Candidate information is compiled from publicly available sources and may not reflect the most current filings. Always consult sos.wa.gov and vote.wa.gov for official, up-to-date information.
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Full Court Press recruits and trains candidates to run judicial campaigns across Washington state, from trial courts to the Supreme Court. FCP judicial candidates are committed to applying the law through a fact-based approach grounded in long-standing legal principles and independent of political ideology.

Disclaimer

Candidate information is provided for educational purposes only. Always verify details with official sources before voting. Candidate filing deadlines and race compositions may change.

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Primary: August 4, 2026  ·  General: November 3, 2026