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Washington Supreme Court elections, 2020

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2020 State
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The seats of four Washington Supreme Court justices were up for nonpartisan election on November 3, 2020. Justices Raquel Montoya-Lewis, Charles W. Johnson, G. Helen Whitener, and Debra Stephens all won re-election.

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Washington did not modify any procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Candidates and results

Position 3

General election

General election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 3

Incumbent Raquel Montoya-Lewis defeated Dave Larson in the general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 3 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Raquel Montoya-Lewis
Raquel Montoya-Lewis (Nonpartisan)
 
58.2
 
2,057,623
Image of Dave Larson
Dave Larson (Nonpartisan)
 
41.4
 
1,462,764
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.4
 
13,661

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,534,048
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Raquel Montoya-Lewis and Dave Larson advanced from the primary for Washington State Supreme Court Position 3.

Position 4

General election

General election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 4

Incumbent Charles W. Johnson won election in the general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 4 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Charles W. Johnson
Charles W. Johnson (Nonpartisan)
 
97.7
 
2,850,924
 Other/Write-in votes
 
2.3
 
66,407

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,917,331
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Charles W. Johnson advanced from the primary for Washington State Supreme Court Position 4.

Position 6

General election

Special general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 6

Incumbent G. Helen Whitener defeated Richard Serns in the special general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 6 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of G. Helen Whitener
G. Helen Whitener (Nonpartisan)
 
66.1
 
2,263,513
Image of Richard Serns
Richard Serns (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
33.3
 
1,140,338
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.6
 
19,416

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 3,423,267
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent G. Helen Whitener and Richard Serns advanced from the special primary for Washington State Supreme Court Position 6.

Position 7

General election

General election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 7

Incumbent Debra Stephens won election in the general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 7 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Debra Stephens
Debra Stephens (Nonpartisan)
 
97.9
 
2,852,879
 Other/Write-in votes
 
2.1
 
60,808

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,913,687
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Debra Stephens advanced from the primary for Washington State Supreme Court Position 7.

Past elections

2018

See also: Washington Supreme Court elections, 2018

Position 2

General election

General election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 2

Incumbent Susan Owens won election in the general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 2 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Susan Owens
Susan Owens (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
2,062,701

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,062,701
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Susan Owens advanced from the primary for Washington State Supreme Court Position 2.

Position 8

General election

General election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 8

Incumbent Steven Gonzalez defeated Nathan Choi in the general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 8 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Steven Gonzalez
Steven Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
67.6
 
1,687,073
Image of Nathan Choi
Nathan Choi (Nonpartisan)
 
32.4
 
809,176

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,496,249
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Steven Gonzalez and Nathan Choi advanced from the primary for Washington State Supreme Court Position 8.

Position 9

General election

General election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 9

Incumbent Sheryl Gordon McCloud won election in the general election for Washington State Supreme Court Position 9 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Sheryl Gordon McCloud
Sheryl Gordon McCloud (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
2,005,244

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 2,005,244
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Nonpartisan primary election

The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Sheryl Gordon McCloud advanced from the primary for Washington State Supreme Court Position 9.

About the Washington Supreme Court

See also: Washington Supreme Court

The Washington State Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Washington. It is based in Olympia in the Temple of Justice on the state capitol grounds. The court has nine justices. They are elected to six-year terms in nonpartisan elections.

Political composition

This was the political composition of the supreme court heading into the 2020 election.

■ Raquel Montoya-Lewis Appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee (D) in 2019, effective in 2020
■ Steven Gonzalez Appointed by Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) in 2011; elected in 2012
■ Charles W. Johnson Elected in 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2014
■ Barbara Madsen Elected in 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010, and 2016
■ Sheryl McCloud Elected in 2012
■ Susan Owens Elected in 2000, 2006, and 2012
■ Debra Stephens Appointed by Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) in 2007; elected in 2008 and 2014
■ G. Helen Whitener Appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee (D) in 2020
■ Mary Yu Appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee (D) in 2014; elected in 2014 and 2016

Selection

See also: Nonpartisan election of judges

The nine justices of the supreme court are selected through contested elections without reference to party affiliation and must run for re-election when their terms expire. Justices serve for six years. In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement. The appointee serves until the next general election, at which point he or she may run to serve for the remainder of the predecessor's term.[1] If the resignation and subsequent appointment take place after the filing period for that year's elections opens, the appointee must stand in the next general election in order to remain on the bench.

Qualifications

To serve on the supreme court, a justice must be:

  • a resident and qualified voter of the state;
  • admitted to practice law in the courts of record in Washington; and
  • under the age of 75.

Selection of the chief justice

The chief justice of the court is selected by peer vote for a term of four years.


See also

Washington Judicial Selection More Courts
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Courts in Washington
Washington Court of Appeals
Washington Supreme Court
Elections: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017
Gubernatorial appointments
Judicial selection in Washington
Federal courts
State courts
Local courts

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Washington," archived October 3, 2014

Washington courts

Federal courts:

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington

State courts:

Washington Supreme Court • Washington Court of Appeals • Washington Superior Court • Washington District Courts • Washington Municipal Courts

State resources:

Courts in Washington • Washington judicial elections • Judicial selection in Washington

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