VotingforJudges is a nonpartisan, impartial source of information about judicial elections in the state of Washington. The site was established in 2006 to provide information to voters in connection with the appellate judicial contests that year, and it has expanded to cover all judicial elections throughout the state. All of Washington's 2012 elections will be reported.

Our archives retain information from the 2006-2010 elections.

2012

The Primary is the only election for many judicial races.
Vote August 7!

NOTE: VotingforJudges is beginning to publish materials relating to the 2012 judicial elections. Information is arriving gradually. Once we reach the end of filing week this Friday, there will be substantially more information available. Candidates can submit information directly.

Candidates throughout the state are filing for office this week: May 14-18.

The very important primary election, which will determine the final results in many instances, will be held on August 7, and the general election will be held on November 6. Primary ballots will be mailed on or about July 20; general election ballots will be mailed on or about October 19.

This year, VotingforJudges is providing information about elections for three Supreme Court positions:

• Susan Owens is running for re-election. She is being challenged by Douglas McQuaid.
• Steve Gonzalez, who was appointed by the Governor and took office in January, is running for a full term.
• Bruce Hilyer, John Ladenburg, Sheryl McCloud, and Richard Sanders are running for the empty seat resulting from Justice Tom Chambers's retirement.

In addition, VotingforJudges will cover eight Court of Appeals positions, and every contested Superior Court election in Washington.

The judicial elections that will appear on your ballot depend on your county of residence. Your best starting point at VotingforJudges is the Show My Elections page: Click on your county, and you will have up-to-date information on judicial elections that will appear on your ballot at all court levels.

We are adding more information as it becomes available. Once again this year, VotingforJudges will be your most complete source for impartial judicial election information. Tell your friends and colleagues!

Honors

The American Bar Association honored VotingforJudges with its 2007 Silver Gavel Award for Media and the Arts, in the "New Media" category, "recognizing outstanding efforts to foster public understanding of the law."

The Atlanta-based Foundation for Improvement of Justice presented one of its Paul H. Chapman Justice Awards for 2007 to VotingforJudges.

Paul Fjelstad, the Kitsap attorney who created and provides ongoing updates to VotingforJudges, was honored with the 2007 King County Bar Association President's Award for his work.

Numerous newspaper editorials have praised and recommended this site.

VotingforJudges.org, P.O. Box 1460, Silverdale, WA  98383
Write to comments@votingforjudges.org.

As the election approaches, Votingforjudges.org will include ratings and endorsements from numerous organizations. We provide this information so that voters will be better informed about the candidates. We do not rate or endorse any candidates; the ratings and endorsements of organizations included at this site reflect the views of those individual organizations and not necessarily the views of votingforjudges.org or its sponsors.