Washington judicial elections
Judges in Washington participate in nonpartisan elections. Elections may be held in both odd and even-numbered years. However, no elections to fill vacancies on the District Courts may be held in odd-numbered years. Judges must run for re-election in nonpartisan elections for subsequent terms.[1]
Washington is one of 12 states that uses nonpartisan elections to select judges and does not use retention elections for subsequent terms. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
| Supreme Court | Court of Appeals | Superior Court | District Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan election - Six-year terms | Nonpartisan election - Six-year terms | Nonpartisan election - Four-year terms | Nonpartisan election - Four-year terms |
Elections
- Washington Supreme Court elections, 2024
- Washington intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
- Washington intermediate appellate court elections, 2023
- Washington Supreme Court elections, 2022
- Washington intermediate appellate court elections, 2022
- Washington intermediate appellate court elections, 2021
- Washington Supreme Court elections, 2020
- Washington intermediate appellate court elections, 2020
- Washington intermediate appellate court elections, 2019
- Washington Supreme Court elections, 2018
- Washington intermediate appellate court elections, 2018
- Washington local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Washington judicial elections, 2017
- Washington judicial elections, 2016
- Washington judicial elections, 2014
- Washington judicial elections, 2013
- Washington judicial elections, 2012
- Washington judicial elections, 2010
- Washington Supreme Court elections, 2006-2010
Election rules
Primary election
Primaries are held only if more than two candidates file for a position. These contests are nonpartisan in nature.[2] The two candidates who receive the greatest number of votes in the primary advance to the general election. Until 2013, a candidate who won over 50 percent of the vote in the primary was then unopposed in the general election. But the law was amended in 2013. Since that amendment, the top two finishers in a judicial primary must advance to compete with each other in the general election.[3][4][5]
General election
In counties with a population greater than 100,000, if only one superior court candidate files for election for a judgeship, that candidate is automatically elected and the county does not hold a general election for the seat.[1] According to the 2010 census, the following counties had populations greater than 100,000:[6]
Washington is a vote-by-mail state and election results usually take about a week to be completely counted. The results on election night may change.[7]
See also
External links
- Washington Courts, "Judicial Election Information," July 13, 2012, accessed April 30, 2014
- American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Washington," accessed April 30, 2014
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Washington Secretary of State, "Judicial Elections in Washington State," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.52.220," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.36.170," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Washington Courts, "Judicial Election Information," July 13, 2012
- ↑ Washington Courts, "2013 Legislative Summary," accessed July 26, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Washington: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013," accessed July 24, 2014
- ↑ Information submitted to Judgepedia via email on 11/4/2012
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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
