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ELECTION 2026: State Supreme Court Candidates Make Their Case
Candidates have raised more than $2 million as two new appointees and the chief justice seek election in a rare, closely watched court contest.
Washington State Supreme Court races have drawn over $2 million in campaign spending, serving as proxy battles between conservatives and liberals as two appointed justices face their first ballot tests.
Formally nonpartisan, elections feature challengers endorsed by the Republican Party against candidates favored by Democratic leaders. Tax attorney Scott Edwards and retired judge Dave Larson seek judicial selection reform through a bipartisan commission.
Candidates are debating artificial intelligence's role in the justice system, legal precedent, and jury compensation. Most Washington jurors are paid $10 per day, unchanged since 1959, creating barriers to representative juries.
Judge Ian Birk and King County Superior Court Judge Sean Donnell will debate on TVW Friday morning, with disagreements over the court's rulemaking process and caseload standards emerging as key issues.
Ballots will be mailed to voters by October 16, with the election determining the court's direction and who replaces Justice Charles Johnson as justices weigh the State income Tax and criminal justice reforms.