Visualizing the 2026 Washington State
Supreme Court Elections

Introduction

Welcome to the Washington State Supreme Court Elections Visualizer! This resource, developed by the Northwest Progressive Institute and the Northwest Progressive Foundation, makes it easier to understand this year's critically important statewide elections for the highest court in the land. The Washington State Supreme Court, established on November 9th, 1889, consists of nine justices who are directly elected by the people to six-year terms, unlike the United States Supreme Court, where terms are for life. Also unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, justices on the state Supreme Court must retire at the end of the calendar year in which they reach the age of seventy-five. Aside from being the final authority on interpreting the Washington State Constitution and state law, Washington's Supreme Court is respected across the country and has historically enjoyed great influence. A Supreme Court of California study published in 2007 found that the Washington Supreme Court's decisions were the second most widely followed by the appellate courts of all other U.S. states in the period from 1940 to 2005, second only to California. If you're a Washingtonian and a citizen, voting for justices is your responsibility. We hope you'll use this resource to learn about the positions and the candidates so you can cast an informed vote.